Theater Review: Fat Ham

                    Cast of "Fat Ham" at the Old Globe

“What do you do when God won’t have you and the devil don’t want you?”

The question at the beginning of playwright James Ijames’ 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Fat Ham,” is posed by Pap (Ethan Henry), father of son Juicy (Sola Fadiran), right before Pap is killed in prison.

The answer is illustrated in “Fat Ham,” which plays through June 23 at The Old Globe Theatre. He includes a taste of The Bard’s play “Hamlet” (the “Ham” of the title). But the cast is mostly Black, the place is somewhere in the U.S. and some of the characters are gay, so it’s not the Shakespeare you’re used to seeing.

Juicy and his mom Tedra (Felicia Boswell) live in the South, maybe North Carolina or Virginia or Maryland or even Tennessee. During a family cookout that includes several more people, Pap’s ghost comes to demand justice. It seems he was murdered in prison, and he wants revenge, the more so because Tedra has taken the opportunity to fix up the bathroom and remarry with the Rev (Ethan Henry). 

Juicy thinks the least they can do is have a family barbecue, and he takes those steps, and invites several family members and friends. In addition, the fourth wall falls – and the cast occasionally talks to the audience.

“Fat Ham” is short – 110 minutes, straight through – and fun to watch. And gets more Shakespearean as time goes on. But when the food on the broiler is ready, Dad’s ghost shows up to announce that “this is virtual reality.”

And the ending? The basic question here is, how much do you owe others, and what would life be like if you chose pleasure? They say the dead remind you to live.

We could all use more of that.

The details

“Fat Ham” plays through June 23, 2024 on The Old Globe’s Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, 1363 Old Globe Way.

Shows Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday at 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.

Tickets: Tickets@TheOldGlobe.org; (619) 234-5623

BIPOC Theatre Night: Friday, May 31 at 6:30 p.m.

Black Pride Theatre Night: Friday, June 7 at 6:30 p.m.

An open-caption performance will be held on  Saturday, June 15 at 2 p.m. 

Theater Review: TL;DR: Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix

Sometimes you just have to find your own way home, even to the extent of taking your girlfriend and driving a 1966 convertible with Arkansas plates off the Grand Canyon into the unknown abyss that awaits

Diversionary Theatre presents the world premiere of the musical “TL;DR: Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix.” It’s a shocker, with a live band onstage, five terrific actresses, some really good songs by Brandon James Gwinn and great direction by Sherri Eden Barber. But it’s not easily described. Get ready for something you’ve never seen before.

The first weirdness is that the lovers involved are called T and L (and played wonderfully by Sophia Araujo-Johnson and Sara Porkalob.*) They hang around with Marie (Lyric Boothe) on guitar, Henrietta (Faith Carrion) on several instruments; Blazer (MG Green) on bass and guitar; and Cubby (Steph Lehane)* on drums.

With song titles like ““No One Has To Get Fucked” and a big reference book called “Lesbiannica,” this cast of self-described “Vagilantes” provides 90 minutes of gay fun that includes 15 songs, smoke and haze, strobe lights and women cursing while musically dismantling the patriarchy.

The point? “We’re here, we’re queer and we always have been.”

They’re loving it, and you will too.

The details

“TL;DR: Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix” plays through June 2, 2024 at Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd #101, San Diego, CA 92116.

Performances Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m,; Sunday at 2 p.m.

Tickets: diversionary.org; (619) 220-0097

Theater Review: Legally Blonde

                           Johnisa Breault and Eli Wood in "Legally Blonde"  

There are silly songs and there are silly shows. In the case of “Legally Blonde,” playing through June 2 at San Diego Musical Theatre, there are also girls who wear pink and pretty much only pink, rich businessmen who want to hire (or maybe use) the pretty girls in pink, and some people (both guys and girls) who just want to find love.

The main character is Elle Woods (Johnisa Breault), best known for her opening comment (and frequent repetition) of “Omigod, you guys!” 

Elle sings and dances up a storm while in search of love. She’s crazy about Warner Huntington III (Eli Wood), and he returns the favor until he decides to desert her to go to grad school at Harvard Law.

Elle isn’t going to give up that easily, and she follows him. Not only that, she gets into Harvard herself (!), where she uses her strengths of positivity and fashion knowledge to succeed, make more friends and even win a tough legal case.

We wouldn’t have thought her capable of actually becoming a good lawyer herself (“Omigod, you guys!” comes to mind) but wouldn’t you know it, she does. Beautiful, and a fine actor with a lovely voice. Now that takes some talent, and some doing. Congratulations to her.

“Legally Blonde” has a goofy plot, but its positivity, this sterling cast and a fabulous group of musical comedy experts working behind the scenes make it work. Special kudos to musical director Lyndon Pageda and choreographer Xavier J. Bush.

Songs, dances, insults and even love: what more can you ask?

Get yourself on down to SDMT before the show closes on June 2.             

                     

Theater Review: Stir

              Melinda Lopez as Mariana, Al Rodrigo as Papi and Joel Perez as Henry.                                    Photo by Rich Soublet II.

Most people have watched at least an occasional cooking show, but I for one have never witnessed the familial relationships of cooking shown in “Stir,” the world premiere of a new Old Globe Theatre commission by contemporary playwrights Melinda Lopez and Joel Perez.

“Stir” shows us Lopez and Perez as stars, playing brother and sister Mariana and Henry, separated by distance and circumstance but talking about and demonstrating cooking, in this case beans. Occasionally their father Papi (played by Al Rodrigo) shows up as well. Papi is more concerned that the remains of his wife have never been properly interred anywhere, and he needs to decide where those remains should be placed. 

So: food, death, familial relationships and how to cook beans are all on display at the same time through May 26 at the Globe’s Sheryl & Harvey White Theatre.

An interesting combination, no?

Originally commissioned and produced as a digital production in 2021 by the Huntington Theatre Company, the setting moves from 2021 in Orlando, Florida, to Ithaca, New York and  Zoom so you’ll also see computers onstage.

The production is bilingual, the conversation zippy and often amusing (some of which confuses people like me, not used to language-shifting on a dime), and the overall production fun to watch. Kudos to set designer Diggle, who made quick changes seem easy to do.

Lopez’s Mariana is the typical older sister who wants to take charge and is pretty much allowed to do that by brother Henry.

Perez is adorable as Henry, with his purposely wild hairdo and, shall we say, colorful costumes. He’s been walking around with a carafe of mom’s ashes in his backpack since she died.

Rodrigo’s Papi doesn’t have a lot to do, but he does get some good lines – and knows what to do with them.

Christopher Vergara also gets applause from me for the costumes that look just right, and to Cha See for the lighting and Fabian Obispo for the fine sound design.

There’s a lot of love on display in “Stir,” along with cooking, family heritage, bilingual conversation and computers. Kudos to all for a fun evening in the theater.

The details

“Stir” plays through May 26 at the Globe’s Sheryl & Harvey White Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

Performances Tuesday through Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. Also Sunday, May 22, at 2 and 7 p.m.

Tickets: www.TheOldGlobe.org or (619) 234-5623

Most people have watched at least an occasional cooking show, but I for one have never witnessed the familial relationships of cooking shown in “Stir,” the world premiere of a new Old Globe Theatre commission by contemporary playwrights Melinda Lopez and Joel Perez.

“Stir” shows us Lopez and Perez as stars, playing brother and sister Mariana and Henry, separated by distance and circumstance but talking about and demonstrating cooking, in this case beans. Occasionally their father Papi (played by Al Rodrigo) shows up as well. Papi is more concerned that the remains of his wife have never been properly interred anywhere, and he needs to decide where those remains should be placed. 

So: food, death, familial relationships and how to cook beans are all on display at the same time through May 26 at the Globe’s Sheryl & Harvey White Theatre.

An interesting combination, no?

Originally commissioned and produced as a digital production in 2021 by the Huntington Theatre Company, the setting moves from 2021 in Orlando, Florida, to Ithaca, New York and  Zoom so you’ll also see computers onstage.

The production is bilingual, the conversation zippy and often amusing (some of which confuses people like me, not used to language-shifting on a dime), and the overall production fun to watch. Kudos to set designer Diggle, who made quick changes seem easy to do.

Lopez’s Mariana is the typical older sister who wants to take charge and is pretty much allowed to do that by brother Henry.

Melinda Lopez, Al Rodrigo and Joel Perez in "Stir"

Photo by Rich Soublet

Most people have watched at least an occasional cooking show, but I for one have never witnessed the familial relationships of cooking shown in “Stir,” the world premiere of a new Old Globe Theatre commission by contemporary playwrights Melinda Lopez and Joel Perez.

“Stir” shows us Lopez and Perez as stars, playing brother and sister Mariana and Henry, separated by distance and circumstance but talking about and demonstrating cooking, in this case beans. Occasionally their father Papi (played by Al Rodrigo) shows up as well. Papi is more concerned that the remains of his wife have never been properly interred anywhere, and he needs to decide where those remains should be placed. 

So: food, death, familial relationships and how to cook beans are all on display at the same time through May 26 at the Globe’s Sheryl & Harvey White Theatre.

An interesting combination, no?

Originally commissioned and produced as a digital production in 2021 by the Huntington Theatre Company, the setting moves from 2021 in Orlando, Florida, to Ithaca, New York and  Zoom so you’ll also see computers onstage.

The production is bilingual, the conversation zippy and often amusing (some of which confuses people like me, not used to language-shifting on a dime), and the overall production fun to watch. Kudos to set designer Diggle, who made quick changes seem easy to do.

Lopez’s Mariana is the typical older sister who wants to take charge and is pretty much allowed to do that by brother Henry.

Perez is adorable as Henry, with his purposely wild hairdo and, shall we say, colorful costumes. He’s been walking around with a carafe of mom’s ashes in his backpack since she died.

Rodrigo’s Papi doesn’t have a lot to do, but he does get some good lines – and knows what to do with them.

Christopher Vergara also gets applause from me for the costumes that look just right, and to Cha See for the lighting and Fabian Obispo for the fine sound design.

There’s a lot of love on display in “Stir,” along with cooking, family heritage, bilingual conversation and computers. Kudos to all for a fun evening in the theater.

The details

“Stir” plays through May 26 at the Globe’s Sheryl & Harvey White Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

Performances Tuesday through Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. Also Sunday, May 22, at 2 and 7 p.m.

Tickets: www.TheOldGlobe.org or (619) 234-5623

(photo: Melinda Lopez as Mariana, Al Rodrigo as Papi and Joel Perez as Henry.

Photo by Rich Soublet II.)

Theater Review: Sense of Decency

                         Sense of Decency

It’s difficult to even consider “decency” and Nazism in the same sentence, but that’s what you’ll get with North Coast Rep’s new play “Sense of Decency.”

North Coast Repertory Theatre’s artistic director David Ellenstein read Jack El-Hai’s nonfiction book “The Nazi and the Psychiatrist” a few years ago and found its theatrical possibilities irresistible. It’s about an American psychiatrist sent to interview jailed Nazi Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring in jail, before he killed himself with cyanide the night before his scheduled execution.

Not the sort of thing you’d usually find in a lovely afternoon at the theater? To say the least. But playwright Jake Broder adapted El-Hai’s book into the play you’ll see in NCRT’s latest offering, “Sense of Decency,” playing through May 12 at North Coast Rep.

A little, um, difficult to watch? Yep. But just consider what you would say to Göring, if somebody had asked you to interview him. It is a bit fascinating to think about. The play posits a psychiatrist (you know, the white-jacketed type) named Douglas McGlashan Kelley (and played with great amusement by Brendan Ford) being sent to interview Göring. Kelley is reported as saying his fascination with Göring was that he seemed amoral rather than immoral, even narcissistic.

But the good doc doesn’t get any new, strange or startling admissions from the

Nazi awaiting execution.

The play also includes Kelley’s new wife Dukie (played by Lucy Davenport, who also plays Göring’s wife Emmy). Of course, the wives also have things to say but (surprise!) get little chance to say them.

Göring is not above making fun of the American treatment of oppressed people here (such as native Americans) and gets a giggle out of the fact that “you actually had a war fighting for the right to keep slavery going!”

But “Sense of Decency” is neither the topic nor sort of play I would be hankering to see. This one goes on a bit too much and is both too long and too choppy to keep me sufficiently riveted. 

The details

“Sense of Decency” plays through May 12, 2024 at North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive in Solana Beach.

Shows Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m.

Tickets: (858)481-1055 or northcoastrep.org

Theater Review: The 39 Steps

                    Dallas McLaughlin and Erica Marie Weisz in "The 39 Steps"
                         Daren Scott, photographer

Spy stories are always fun to watch. They’re especially fun when they’re played for laughs.

Carlsbad’s New Village Arts gives us a rollicking stage version of Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s famous 1935 film “The 39 Steps.” It plays through May 12.

Here, innocent bystander Richard Hannay (excellently played by Dallas McLaughlin) is drafted in pre-World War II Britain, after which he becomes inadvertently entangled in a web of espionage after a mysterious woman is murdered in his apartment.

This is something Hannay is ill equipped to handle, feeling a bit alienated himself. But he does the best he can, which turns out to be good enough and very funny to those of us watching him.

The cast numbers four, two of whom are called “clowns” (hilarious they are) and the others are various women played by one very fine actress named Erica Marie Weisz. Are you confused yet?

Fear not, the director (Dr. AJ Knox, who also serves as sound designer) will make sure it all comes clear (well, more or less) by the end.

My favorite in the cast is Reden Magtira, one of the Clowns whose job is to explain everything to us, the audience. He is just fun to watch, especially when he goes into his “thinking cap” trances.

With the help of stage manager and sound technician Nathan Waits and his assistant Joseff Paz, scenic coordinator Frank Seed, costume designer Grace Wong, lighting designer Russel Chow, props designer McKenna Foote, intimacy coordinator Kate Rose Reynolds, sound operator Marcus Rico and dialect coach Gerilyn Brault, the show comes off as the writer intended. 

Not surprisingly, the original show won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy and the Tony Award for Best Play.

Grab a ticket now and enjoy it yourself.

The details

“The 39 Steps” plays through May 12 at New Village Arts, 2787 State Street in Carlsbad.

Lobby doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts every day at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets available at the box office (760) 433-3245

Theater Review: Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

Leave it to the Russians to come up with a seemingly endless classic called “War and Peace,” and to playwright Dave Malloy to take that and make a crazy-making electro-pop musical about it.

Musical? About Tolstoy’s “War and Peace?”

Yep. And not only that, but those loonies at Cygnet Theatre have put it onstage, and described it like this: “Somewhere between war and peace, young love burns hot.”

The young lover in this case is Natasha (Selena Ceja), who falls in love with Anatole (Michael Louis Cusimano) while her betrothed Andrey (Brian Mackey) is off fighting the war. How will this work out?

Cygnet’s artistic director Sean Murray directs the show, which runs through May 19. Patrick Marion does the musical direction and Katie Banville the choreography.

The way the cast rushes in and out gives the impression of a cast of hundreds, but no, the totality is played by only ten actors. Described as an “immersive experience,” you will find yourself surrounded by sound, words and dance.

Never mind how nutty it sounds, just go see the show and be assured that at the end you’ll be glad you did.