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Continue reading →: Providing a voice drives Suh in Magic Theatre’s ‘The Chinese Lady’The Bay Area at large and San Francisco in particular boasts an extremely large Chinese population. Stores, restaurants, the iconic lamps on Grant Avenue and the sounds of the erhu fill the salty, ocean air as residents and tourists make Chinatown an essential stop when visiting the City. The Chinese…
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Continue reading →: Review: The DNA of some awful folks sink Berkeley Rep’s ‘White Noise’“I got millions, I got riches buildin’ in my DNA I got dark, I got evil, that rot inside my DNA I got off, I got troublesome heart inside my DNA I just win again, then win again like Wimbledon, I serve” – Kendrick Lamar In the viciously powerful anthem “DNA”…
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Continue reading →: Review: City Lights’ ‘The Wolves’ is a scrumptious slice on the pitchOrange slices at halftime. While all youth sports have things that make them special, there is no image more iconic than orange slices being shared out of a big, colorful Tupperware bowl at halftime of a youth soccer match. The peels in the mouth are wildly fun, and only the…
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Continue reading →: Review: ‘Macbeth’ at Cal Shakes needs to find more unityVery early on in the Cal Shakes production of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” a large smear of blood stains the window and doesn’t move for the duration of the performance. This image is a brilliant touch, because of its powerful effect on the play’s rich metaphor. In “Macbeth,” there are very…
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Continue reading →: Review: A powerful and devastating ‘Top Girls’ at ACT soarsThere is an urgency to Mrs. Kidd as she blasts into the room to speak to the newly appointed boss, the supremely confident Marlene. And that urgency, inspired by societal conditioning that men have a right to the plumiest of plum jobs, causes some supreme groveling. Please, step aside so…
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Continue reading →: Review: Berkeley Rep’s ‘The Great Wave’ needs more truth from the treacherous watersClose your eyes and feel the waves. There is very little more soothing, more life-affirming than hearing a wave crash along a shore line. The delectable beauty of the fiendish, angelic swell fills the atmosphere with peace and warmth. For Hanako and Reiko, there is thrill in these waters. Yet…
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Continue reading →: A sweeping storm and a sweeping epic inspires Turnly’s ‘The Great Wave’ at Berkeley RepWhen Francis Turnly set out to write a sweeping, epic story of two sisters and their place in two disparate countries, no word was left unturned. Turnly’s first draft of what has manifested into the United States premiere of “The Great Wave,” running through Oct. 27th at Berkeley Repertory Theatre,…
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Continue reading →: Review: Aurora’s ‘Exit Strategy’ finds its heroes, villainsSchool fight songs will never be found in the great American song book. These mostly banal tributes to the greatness of the alma mater are simplistic in their rhyme scheme but serve a purpose larger than their syntax. These delightful ditties connect generations of alums together, instilling a lifelong pride…
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Continue reading →: Review: Fascinating history and fabulous tech not enough to save SHN’s ‘Anastasia’There is a wonderfully tender moment in the musical “Anastasia” when the young Russian woman reflects on one of the most magical memories of her childhood. As the dashing Russians dance on, their hearts full and their clothing fuller, an image of ghosts appear, loaded with joy and wonderment. These…
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Continue reading →: The Drama Guy’s Fall, 2019 (POC) theatre picksThere’s no season better than Fall. Summer’s a bit too hot, Winter’s way too expensive, and Spring throws a head-banging party in my sinuses. Fall, I mean, come on. I’m not an NFL guy, but I’m so down for another Warriors and Sharks playoff run, the start of baseball playoffs…
David John Chávez
Bay Area theater critic/reporter, Executive Chair – American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association, Two-time Pulitzer Prize for Drama jurist (’22-’23). Follow me on socials and say hi! #hellatheatre
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