Spotlight on Reviews

Not Recommended * As my friend and I walked out of the theater after “The Ridiculous Darkness”, she commented that that was two hours she’d never get back. Sadly, that’s exactly how I felt. In the publicity blurbs, “The Ridiculous Darkness” is described as a German-written dark comedy. It was certainly dark, but I didn’t see any comedy. This production had no idea where it was going and it definitely didn’t have a clue where it had been. Don’t waste your time. 1/2 Spotlight

***RECOMMENDED*** As a result of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in June of 2015 that legalized same-sex marriages, there have been numerous plays that have featured gay couples navigating the uncertain terrain of wedded bliss. The majority of these works were written by cisgender males and, not surprisingly, all of the main characters have been gay men, most of whom are considering adopting children, expecting their new arrivals through surrogacy or already enjoying their little bundles of joy and adapting to their unfamiliar roles as parents. One of the most well-known of these plays is S. Asher Gelman's "Afterglow," which caused quite a sensation when it opened Off-Broadway and had a successful run of nearly a year and a half. 3 SPOTLIGHTS

★★★★★ Reaching for new starts and a better life is something that almost all of us have experienced. Perhaps, this experience is yet to come. In the World Premiere of Sharyn Rothstein’s “Landladies” we meet two women, from different backgrounds, who are in their own way, moving forward. Christine ( a wonderful performance by Leah Karpel) is working on getting into her new apartment ( if one can call this an apartment). She has a bad record, including an eviction, but has lied on her application. Her new Landlady, Marti ( deftly handled by Shanesia Davis) has worked her way up the ladder of life and from her humble beginnings now owns three buildings. Yes, they are not nice buildings, but they are hers!

***RECOMMENDED*** For the two young brothers at the center of Anna Jordan's play "Yen" it may initially appear that all they need is a strong dosage of love. No offense to Lennon and McCartney, but sometimes love is not always all that you need. These adolescent ruffians could have greatly benefited from a firm regulating hand in their early family life and development; to at least have had one dependable and sober parent to always be there for them in times of turmoil and to teach them valuable life lessons and make them feel secure along the way. Sadly, left to their own devices, which include PlayStation 4 gaming and streaming pornographic videos, it's not surprising to witness the wretched and unfortunate outcome of these truly uninspired youths. 3 SPOTLIGHTS