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By John Farrell
Robert Downey, Jr. is now the public’s best-known Sherlock Holmes – at least for those with a taste for kick-boxing action films. But long, long before Downey Holmes was a huge hit on the theatrical boards in a play by American actor-writer William Gillette, a play which opened in 1899 and ran (with Gillette as its star ) for nearly forty years. It has been revived in recent decades several times with everyone, including Leonard Nimoy, in the title role.
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By John Farrell
Quills is billed as a play about the Marquis de Sade, and you know in advance there is going to be nudity: you have to check your cell phone at the door so no inadvertent pictures will be downloaded onto social media sites. But the reality is very different from the advertisement. Once inside the Queen’s Theater on the Queen Mary the stage is set with very sedate 18th century furniture and the Marquis himself, Jerry Prell, is handsomely onstage in a full-bottomed wig and with quill in hand, writing obsessively as he lives in refined isolation in the Asylum of Charenton.
By John Farrell
Encore Entertainers is a dream come true for Summer Cacciagioni, who created the musical theater production company for rising stars in 2007, 15 years and more after she began her then-fledgling career in musical theater. She had wanted to direct her own theater company for students ever since she was in high school. When her mentor, Alex H. Urban, died, she decided, the support of her husband Marcelo, to give it a shot.
“Mrs.T” is an imaginary consultant for the confused, advising diners and Valentiners on the best meal for the best deal at this loving time. Though the letters are admittedly fabricated, the issues are authentic, based on questions presented to Entrée Columnist Gretchen Williams by Random Lengths News readers.
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By John Farrell
Not One More Foot of Land is not a great play. It is too long, too leisurely and in the premier production by Secret Rose Theatre, there are a lot of things to argue with.
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By John Farrell
Man of La Mancha is everything a Broadway musical should be, and you can see it a lot closer to home.
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By John Farrell
If you missed Annie at the Warner Grand Theatre within the first weekend in February there is good news and bad.
On Sunday, the Long Beach Opera returns to the Warner Grand Theatre. It hasn’t been a frequent visitor to the 80-plus year old house. But with the performances of composer Astor Piazzolla’s Maria de Buenos Aires, set for Jan. 29 at 2 p.m. and Feb 4 at 8 p.m., opera will be returning with a vengeance.
Little Fish Theatre’s Pick of the Vine: Season 10 has become a San Pedro tradition, and the nine plays offered in an amazingly fast and efficient two hours are as engaging, amusing and sometime poignant as ever. But then, chosen from the more than 700 works offered to them every year, that is what you’d expect. To list and explore all of them is beyond the scope of the space in this column. A couple of highlights: Bath Time is Fun Time by Arthur M. Jolly explores what the bath implements are thinking after the plug has been pulled, from the rubber duckie’s point of view, that of the toy submarine, and a couple of others, all suffering post-bath angst. Press Play by Seth Freeman shows what religion might become if you have to respond to voice prompts to get solace. The Rental by Mark Harvey Levine suggests a new twist on the subject of romantic loneliness. You’ve got to go to see them all and it is a great evening in the theatre.
Tickets are $25, $23 for seniors and students. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with shows at 2 and 7 p.m. Feb. 5., and at 8 p.m. Feb. 16, through Feb. 18.
Details: (310)512-6030; www.littlefishtheatre.org
Venue: Little Fish Theatre
Location: 777 Centre St., San Pedro
Real people. Real news. Random Lengths is the Los Angeles harbor area's remaining independently owned progressive news magazine. We cover news in Carson, Wilmington, Long Beach, Lomita, Torrance, Rancho Palos Verdes and San Pedro.
Contact us: letters@randomlengthsnews.com
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