The Language Archive

by Christine Sarkes The Language Archive, a production of Theatre Pro Rata, playing at The Crane Theater through May 4, is a very funny, yet poignant and well-acted stage experience, particularly for those who worship the written and spoken word. Playwright Julia Cho and director Nicole Marie Wilder have captured the awkwardness of marital life…

History Plays: Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V

by Christine Sarkes Let’s just get this out of the way: the Guthrie Theater’s “History Plays: Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V” are a crowning achievement on the part of every single person involved in this once-in-a-lifetime event. Get thee now, not to a nunnery, but to the Guthrie to experience some of the most…

God of Carnage

by Christine Sarkes God of Carnage by acclaimed Parisian playwright Yasmina Reza, playing at Theatre in the Round through April 28, is not for the faint-hearted. The 2009 Tony Award winner for Best Play is an uncomfortable, in-your-face exploration of human conflict and civilized behavior personified as two sets of upper middle-class parents. Running just…

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

From teenage songwriter to two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Carole King’s life is an inspiring tale full of talent, love, hard work, friendship, and (above all) music. In Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, now playing at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres through September, her story is told through the very songs to which she dedicated her life.

Dial M for Murder

by Christine Sarkes and Erika Yasmeen Sasseville (a mother/daughter review) Dial M for Murder at the Guthrie Theater through February 25 is the perfect date night or Galentine’s Day evening at the theater. What better way to celebrate modern romance than by watching a murder mystery thriller? There is something for everyone in this clever…

Art

by Christine Sarkes Art at the Guthrie Theater through January 28 thoughtfully and hilariously tackles a multitude of themes focused on friendship, the intrinsic and extrinsic value of art, and personal identity defined by relationships. The play, which won a Tony Award for Best Play in 1998 and was written by French playwright Yasmina Reza,…

Bernhardt/Hamlet

Review by Christine Sarkes Bernhardt/Hamlet at The Crane Theater through October 14 is an exceptionally well-acted, highly entertaining theater-lovers play. As the title suggests, it centers on a point in time in the fascinating true life of French actress Sarah Bernhardt, who is coming to terms with her future career as an aging actress at…

The Importance of Being Earnest

by Christine Sarkes “In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing.” – Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax, The Importance of Being Earnest In the spirit of Oscar Wilde’s Gwendolen Fairfax, I am beginning a review of The Importance of Being Earnest, Guthrie Theater’s brilliantly acted and amusing season opener, as I have never…

Arsenic and Old Lace

by Christine Sarkes Celebrating its 72nd anniversary, Theatre in the Round opens its season with a classic, screwball black comedy, Arsenic and Old Lace. Those of us ‘of a certain age’ will remember the brilliant 1944 movie adaptation, starring the incomparable Cary Grant and directed by the legendary Frank Capra. This zany and eccentric play…

An American Tail the Musical

If you grew up watching the 1986 animated classic An American Tail or it’s beloved sequel Fievel Goes West, you’re sure to love Children’s Theatre Company’s world premiere production of An American Tail the Musical, playing now through June 18th. The production is the perfect blend of nostalgia, creativity, and hope for a brighter world, and sitting in the audience full of delighted and curious children is always an adorable way to spend a couple hours.