by Christine Sarkes Little Women at the Jungle Theater is a delightfully reverent new adaptation of the beloved Louisa May Alcott classic novel and perfect for a family night out at the theater. The casting is pitch-perfect, particularly C. Michael Menge (Jo March) and Megan Burns (Amy March) who infuse their characters with energy and passion. A special…
by CHRISTINE SARKES Inclusiveness and gratitude were the themes of the 12th Annual Ivey Awards held last evening at the Historic State Theater, downtown Minneapolis. Theater professionals honored their own and one of ours–Star Tribune theater critic Graydon Royce–as they reached beyond the typical candidates by awarding a non-actor, costume designer Trevor Bowen, with the Emerging Artist Award. Bowen got his…
I’m just going to come right out and say it: I loved Le Switch. I feel a little guilty about this, mainly because it’s a pretty standard form rom-com complete with quirky characters and convenient coincidences and the overarching message that the best, most important thing you can do in life is fall in love and get…
Seeing Shakespeare always makes me a little nervous. I do not fear the language or the twisty-turny plots; rather, my reaction is based on years of experience of seeing all sorts of wacky “new” twists on the Bard’s plays. I’ve seen a steampunk Macbeth and a post-apocalyptic The Tempest, a reverse-gender cast of Romeo and…
By LIZ BYRON. When a play has been performed regularly across the country for 79 years, and has spawned an Oscar-winning film version, it seems safe to assume that it’s got some pretty good things going for it. Indeed, You Can’t Take It With You is a charming and clever story with a witty script,…
By LIZ BYRON. The Jungle Theater’s 25th season opened this weekend with Gertrude Stein and a Companion. Particularly notable is the fact that this is the 8th time this show has been played at the Jungle, and with the same two actors, no less. If a show warrants repeating 8 times, it seems safe to…
by CHRISTINE SARKES SASSEVILLE Looking for a light, campy Victorian supernatural-mystery-farce with hysterical scene-chewing acting, cross-dressing and clever staging? Then, The Mystery of Irma Vep at The Jungle Theater is just the play for you! I love physical humor and this play delivers. With two actors playing all eight characters, they move quickly through the…
By LIZ BYRON. The tragedy of Detroit is its relatability. There are far too many people who will relate to this story of broken promises and lost dreams. At the same time, it is not a depressing play; its strength comes from its ability to look into these dark subjects and find hope. Detroit follows…
by SOPHIE KERMAN The 2013 Ivey Awards, the Twin Cities’ celebration of the best of theatre, have been awarded! How many have you seen? Lifetime Achievement Award: playwright Jeffrey Hatcher, nationally-renowned playwright, the Lifetime Achievement Award, Aisle Say reviews of a few of his plays: Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club, Standing on Ceremony (contributor),…
by SOPHIE KERMAN On the opening night of URINETOWN: the Musical, Jungle Theater Artistic Director Bain Boehlke proclaimed that this was sure to be the “runaway hit of the summer.” Artistic hubris? No, Boehlke is absolutely right. With a brutally sharp message and a five-star cast that can sing and dance like Lyndale Ave is the next…
Aisle Say - Twin Cities 