St. Nicholas (Corrib Theatre)

That’s some bloody good craic.

Performance Deep into Conor McPherson’s St. Nicholas, our devilish, graying narrator is engulfed by the irresistible spell of otherworldly figures, swept into their London mansion of dark wood paneling an   More

 

Wednesday, March 27, 2013 ENID SPITZ

The City of Tomorrow

A wind quintet, scattered to the four winds.

Performance French-horn player Leander Star and his partner, flutist Elise Blatchford, had already rented a truck to move from Chicago back to his hometown of Portland when they got the news. Their year-old   More

 

Wednesday, March 20, 2013 BRETT CAMPBELL

The Race is Off

Two theater productions throw race relations into stark relief.

Performance From Othello to A Raisin in the Sun, the immediacy of theater has cast a light on race relations. It’s arresting to witness such dynamics live. Last weekend, two plays opened that, on the surf   More

 

Wednesday, March 6, 2013 REBECCA JACOBSON

Three Days of Rain (Defunkt Theatre)

Their father’s hell did slowly go by.

Performance The architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was famous for the aphorism “Less is more.” Though his design was guided by an abstract philosophy, his steel-and-glass buildings were outwardly simple a   More

 

Wednesday, February 27, 2013 REBECCA JACOBSON

Joke in a Box: Gabe Dinger

Performance Please describe my mama: “Your mama is so stupid she told you that you could be whatever you wanted to be when you grew up. So, you never put any real effort into high school. Not putting any t   More

 

Wednesday, February 27, 2013 WW Culture Staff

The Velvet Sky (Theatre Vertigo)

Sweet dreams ain’t made of these.

Performance Bethany Palmer hasn’t slept in 13 years, not since her son Andrew was born. Fearing a ghoulish Sandman she believes is out to steal Andrew’s eyes, she stays up all night nervously knitting s   More

 

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 REBECCA JACOBSON

Venus in Fur (Portland Center Stage)

No one gets away until they whip it.

Performance Fifty Shades of Grey reduced sadomasochism to handcuffs and spanking. Venus in Fur—while not devoid of dog collars and riding crops—throws into question such simple ideas of control and compli   More

 

Wednesday, February 6, 2013 REBECCA JACOBSON

Something’s Got Ahold of My Heart (Hand2Mouth Theatre Company)

I can feel it coming in the air tonight.

Performance Is love more like a fish stew or a Phil Collins song?  Hand2Mouth wants you to consider this in its newest experimental offering, which pings between schmaltzy representations of movie love   More

 

Wednesday, February 6, 2013 REBECCA JACOBSON

International Falls (Coho Productions)

A depressed comedian walks into a bar.

Performance That comedy comes from pain is a well-worn trope, but in International Falls, Thomas Ward’s compassionate and sharply observed world-premiere play, it’s a two-way street: Not only do misfortun   More

 

Wednesday, January 30, 2013 REBECCA JACOBSON

Bearing Fruit

In its fifth year, Fertile Ground showcases new, local work.

Performance It’s a big year for the annual Fertile Ground festival. The 11-day bender of locally produced new works of theater and dance turns 5 this year, and once again the lineup overwhelms. The number o   More

 

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 REBECCA JACOBSON