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Aug 09 2025
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Tale of a Potato

By Jo Tomalin

Review by Jo Tomalin
For All Events

Tale of a Potato

What does a potato think about? How are potatoes born and what happens during their lives no mater how short? Batisfera, a theatre company from Italy have the answer in their new show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025! Potatoes are sturdy and functional vegetables and so is the interesting set for his show. We are greeted in a kitchen with an island counter for preparing food but in this case the wooden table top is the stage for the characters or rather the vegetables! 



Our host is performer Valentina Fadda who skillfully moves the potato and its friends and relatives around the stage in a charming tabletop object puppetry style. Valentina developes a rapport with the audience as she begins to narrate the story, intermingled with conversations of the characters through her voice. Let’s start, she proclaims and we are in her care for this thirty minute show. We meet he most important character, the potato, and Valentina calls out it the Protagonist. We follow the potato through parts of its life meeting other vegetables such as the tall aubergine and personable squat cauliflower as the modest potato’s life journey begins.

Written and directed by Angelo Trofa the tale is fascinating and imaginative. Creative lighting design by Luca Carta is simple but effective and transforms with the set seamlessly for different scenes. The music by Luca Spanu supports the mood and action of the story well. Generally the sound levels might benefit from tweaking here and there in this space in order to appreciate and understand the narration when spoken fast or loud music when the narration happens.

Each new character has enough personality to keep this story moving and developing. Some of the most effective moments are when the narrator’s voice shares slowly and softly suggesting a tender moment of the life of our Protagonist Potato.

Months and seasons pass including a beautiful, wintery scene efficiently brought onstage and off. The dark atmosphere with the mini lighting in this bijou theatre is effective for these tubers et al to share their story. The writing moves swiftly from narrative to dialogue and questions for the audience to contemplate. It flows well yet at times I found myself wondering what was happening exactly, matching the narration with the action. There is much charm about this show and no doubt it will develop and finesse as the run progresses. Recommended!

More information:
https://www.batisfera.com/about-2/

Aug 07 2025
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Mechanimal’s Wild Thing! at the Edinburgh Fringe 2025

By Jo Tomalin

Review by Jo Tomalin
For All Events

Wild Thing!

Imagine a show where all the characters were performed by one person. Tom Bailey of Mechanimal, the award-winning theatre company creates and recreates dozens of extinct animals using only his physicality, with wonderful atmospheric sounds by sound artist Xavier Velastin.

Bailey is a performer and an observer of life with a vibrant imagination and a strong interest in how fast the planet is losing species. We should all be aware of this tragedy but sometimes we need reminding. Bailey has created a follow up to the outstanding Vigil about extinct animals presented a few years ago at the Edinburgh Fringe. Wild Thing! not only demonstrates a minute percentage of the thousands of animals (literally from Bailey’s physical acting) that are extinct today but he also provides some of their names by a voiceover announcement, together with the printed name projected onto a huge wall size screen on the stage.

At the top of the show we hear the name “White Footed Sportive Lemur” and Bailey takes on the physicality as much as possible of this creature, then others come fast, “Three Toed Sloth” “Persian Musk Deer” and “Arrogant Shrew”. The pace is fast, and some animals have sounds created by Bailey, too. Seeing him move around and take over the space is fascinating and unusual, so we know we are in for an unexpected time!

In Vigil by Mechanimal Bailey’s portrayals were pure and, seemingly to the audience, exacting. However, in Wild Thing! It is clear that the most challenging or literal sounding animal names are sometimes more obvious in gesture with an interesting layer of Bailey’s own attitude, which is very entertaining. Relating to the audience as either animal or during transitions Bailey says a lot with his physicality. Wearing a striped shirt, sage green shorts and a baseball cap on backwards Bailey throws himself into his physical gestures mimicking animals to the best of his knowledge at the time.

The space is perfect for this show because the large stage area is ground level and Bailey can intermingle as needed without barrier and everyone in the audience on three sides of the rectangular space can see him and the screen easily. We all want to see what he’s up to and we have a great view of it all!

Although we are having fun and enjoying this intriguing interactive show, Bailey introduces his message gently at first then powerfully by sharing information about the state of the lost species and how more are lost. With the addition of some very well chosen props and a story about an important journey, Bailey is certainly impactful in his forty five minute show. This is how to make a difference to people of all ages. Theatre is a powerful tool and this is an excellent example of its use to enlighten as well as to entertain. Do not miss Wild Thing! Highly Recommended! 4 Stars

Aug 05 2025
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Lost Lear at Edinburgh Fringe 2025

By Jo Tomalin

Review by Jo Tomalin
For All Events

Lost Lear

Lost Lear is a weaving of the story of parts of Shakespeare’s play King Lear with the story of Joy, diagnosed with dementia. Written and directed by Dan Colley, this is the UK Premiere produced by the Riverbank Arts Centre and Mermaid Arts Centre presented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025 at the Traverse Theatre. 
For anyone unfamiliar with the story of King Lear by Shakespeare, there is a canny summary provided in the dialogue to another character early in the play! This is an intricate mixing of two stories with relatable parallel events.

We watch a stage rehearsal of the play of Lear and his three daughters trying to show their authentic love for their father in order to earn the trust, respect and his legacy when he dies. It’s always an interesting part of the play where the audience may reflect on their own way they may answer this question of an elderly close relative. This start to Lost Lear is fascinating! When the story is turned on its head and Lear is enthusiastically played by a character called Joy, the mother of a long estranged son in a layering of a contemporary parallel family story with the rehearsals of King Lear!

In a poignant twist Joy is in a care home – and the staff discovers the most effective way of relating to her is to run her day to day similar to her prior career as an actor, full steam ahead in rehearsals. While Joy has no daughters she does have a son who is on stage in several scenes.

The acting is strong throughout including:
Joy: Venetia Bowe
Liam: Manus Halligan
Conor: Peter Daly(August 3rd)/Gus McDonagh
Ensemble: Em Ormonde, Clodagh O’Farrell

Bowe as Joy is energetic and dynamic and her voice will surely benefit from the run to develop a range of inflections and vocal variety in the lines. This play within a play is effectively told through storytellng, narration, dialogue and one brief scene with puppetry. Effective set design by Andrew Clancy, lighting design by Suzie Cummins and costume design by Cherie White all work together to create the two worlds in this play.

Lost Lear deals with the situation of a family member with dementia sensitively and in a creative way in this handsome production. Highly recommended! 4 Stars!

Aug 05 2025
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Consumed at Edinburgh Fringe 2025

By Jo Tomalin

Review by Jo Tomalin
For All Events

Consumed

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Consumed by Karis Kelly and directed by Katie Posner is a World Premiere, produced by Paines Plough, Belgrade Theatre, Sheffield Theatres and Women’s Prize for Playwriting Production in Association with Lyric Theatre Belfast, presented at the TraverseTheatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025.


This multi- generational play explores themes of transgenerational trauma, national boundaries and family dynamics set in Northern Ireland. 

Our introduction to this story is an attractive and cosy set of a well kept large kitchen with a table and several chairs. We learn that this is Gilly’s home – and her mother, Eileen, the family matriarch, sits at the head of the table. Gilly is busy fussing around so that everything looks just right as their guests are about to arrive for a birthday celebration. 

Gilly’s daughter, Jenny left Northern Ireland years ago and she and her daughter Muireann, live in England and are traveling to visit and celebrate their family. The long distance between them means that family visits like these are rare, so this is a special occasion and an opportunity to reconnect.

The initial chitchat between Eileen and Gilly is jaunty with Eileen’s comments dominating and Gilly placating her elderly mother by getting on with preparations. Gilly’s house has everything in to place, for the moment. When the two younger women arrive friendly conversation is punctuated by Eileen’s remarks. Jenny and her daughter seem like they are from another place in life and culture – and they literally are!

All four characters are different and well acted with texture and believability. There is much pride about their shared roots, particularly from Eileen played by Julia Dearden and Gilly played by Andrea Irving – but less sowith Jenny played by Caoimhe Farren, who left years ago and her daughter Muireann played by Muireann Ní Fhaogáin,

who doesn’t even have a hint of a northern Irish accent. Additional progressive ideas such as veganism demonstrate a huge chasm between the two groups and yet Eileen comes into her own with sound advice.



Lest we start wondering where male partners may be, bits of information come out in conversation and we get a picture of a family with a strong foundation that have secrets and foibles that sear to the soul. This is anentertaining and provocative slice of life family drama with a wry unexpected twist! Highly recommended! 4 Stars!!

More Information
https://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event/consumed-festival-25

Aug 04 2025
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The Dan Daw Show at Edinburgh International Festival

By Jo Tomalin

Review by Jo Tomalin
For All Events

The Dan Daw Show

 

The large marquee on stage with the title The Dan Daw Show in large letters across it is a dramatic visual. Dan Daw enters and  talks to us for the first few minutes to tell us what we are about to see and why. There are some disclaimers from him and a clear admission that he is in full approval at what we are about to see and that this is how he wants to be seen. Daw introduces himself as “a 41 year old crip” and that we are in safe hands! Dan’s wry humour is apparent from the start and continues with quips and questions for us in between the physical sequences! Presented by the Edinburgh International Festival in August 2025 at The Lyceum Theatre, The Dan Show is performed by collaborators Dan Daw and Christopher Owen, and directed by Mark Maughan.


Daw and Owen talk back and forth as they perform together, make suggestions about physical movements and challenges that go deep into the core. Daw is very interested in kink and both of them work through kink experiences as they perform them on each other. Daw listed some of the kink we would see in the opening speech and after some physical stretches and general limbering up together Owen directs Daw in a quiet but assertive voice and Daw follows. They quickly set up ground rules and we are away. They are tactile with each other, playful and serious at the same time. Tattoos, torsos and body language mix together as they roll across the stage in one section – they could be brothers! Daw says that Owen is his best friend and he trusts him completely, which is very meaningful and important. Daw is realistic and prefers to focus on what he can do rather than what he can’t do and shares he how enjoys the pleasure he gets from kink experiences. In an experiment Daw is is a box with only his head showing while Owen depletes the air and Daw’s limbs and muscles are tight against the black material until Daw winces and Owen allows the air to enter the box and release Daw’s body. Throughout the show they engage in contorting around each other, thrashing, spit balls, and movement akin to wrestling. There are wonderful tender moments – after jostling around – when they cradle each other in quiet moments. It’s fascinating, sexy, on the edge, yet they are respectful of each other and while Daw’s limits are challenged, Daw is in charge of his own body and they break free on uttering a safe word or short phrase.


This is an intriguing and moving show that explores the body, sexuality, identity and trust. Highly Recommended!
 4 Stars!



Aug 04 2025
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Make it Happen

By Jo Tomalin

Review by Jo Tomalin
For All Events

Make it Happen

The Edinburgh International Festival presents the World Premiere of Make It Happen written by James Graham and directed by Andrew Panton produced by National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep Theatre in August 2025.

Graham is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter for notable productions of Dear England, Best of Enemies and Ink. Panton, artistic director of Dundee Rep Theatre and award winning director of plays such as Out of the Woods and A History of Paper. It is no wonder that Make It Happen is an important and anticipated production at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival.

The play is about the Royal Bank of Scotland’s fall and what – and who – brought this about. The venerable bank, RBS follows Fred Goodwin, played by Sandy Grierson as he commits to the financial strategies created by revered economist, Adam Smith played by Brian Cox. Rather Cox plays a ghost of Smith who goads Goodwin, known by some as as Fred the Shred.

Starting with a group pf tourists looking at large paintings in a gothic looking scene an ensemble of of about 12 are taken around the gallery. Suddenly as if in a Greek Theatre theme, masks and coats descend dramatically. A narrator and voice overs lead us away into Goodwin’s life, his arrogant rise and ultimate fall as an accountant.

The script and information about the RBS is on point. They’re aware of European banks and how they’re doing and Fred has huge ambitions that grow by the minute. An ensemble, like a Greek chorus, comes in between scenes and some times speak or play characters and comment on events or move the story forward, often with bursts of song!

There are several brief scenes in this two hour thirty minute play which moves the detailed story along well. These brief flashes of scenes include board members with a fast appearing set piece of columns, conservatives politicians and the general mood that if Goodwin wants adventure, he’ll have to make it happen himselfl

Prophetically, Goodwin’s character is realistic in his dialogue with colleagues and family and when he reads out Smith’s views on commerce. Others try to warn him, but Goodwin recommends growth and wants to buy NatWest.

Music by Martin Lowe accompanies with underscore at times, and with loud with snappy beats in the numerous chorus appearances trailing on stage or dancing in between. When Goodwin is with a Scottish bank and wants RBS, he takes over banks, bidding successfully to vibrant music! The music is catchy and biting, and adds to the drama – and the tension. Suddenly, Goodwin becomes an admired chief executive.

A conversation with a colleague brings humanity to the story, who bigs him up, imagining how Fred’s dad would be proud. The ensemble’s comments after this scene are very entertaining! Politician Gordon Brown appears at the Scottish. Parliament, urging balance, to no avail. An ingenious set panel is opened to show a brief scene as if in an Amsterdam like shop window with pink lights – very creative use of this variable square set piece a few more times credited to set designer Anna Fleischie.

Cox has attitude and sarcasm as this ghost of Adam Smith and is enjoying it all. Lively conversations with Smith and Goodwin are delicious when they get down to brass tacks and even riff a bit in a glorious moment! Grierson’s Goodwin creates the character with depth and portrays the emotional range very well throughout. There are fantasy moments between Cox and Fred that are charming as they reflect on the city.

The ensemble has the last work, or hiss! An appropriate act to end this story. In all this is a creative well performed vital play with high production values. It is not only very entertaining but also informative and a reminder of what can happen when ambition is strong. Highly Recommended!

Jul 18 2025
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Masquers Playhouse’s ‘Into the Breeches’ draws big laughs in Point Richmond

By Woody Weingarten

L-R, Marsha von Broek, Mary Katherine Patterson and Helen Kim are funny in “Into the Breeches,” onstage at Masquers Playhouse in Point Richmond through Aug. 3. (Mike Padua via Bay City News)

By Woody Weingarten

Insert amateur thespians into a modernized World War II version of a Shakespeare play with an all-female cast and what do you get?

A possible hit for the play-within-a-play — and a barrelful of big laughs for the Masquers Playhouse audience in Point Richmond.

L-R, Katharine Otis and Dana Lewenthal appear in Masquers Playhouse’s production of the comedy “Into the Breeches,” onstage through Aug. 3 in Point Richmond. (Mark Decker via Bay City News)

Katharine Otis does far less schtick and thereby gets fewer guffaws as Maggie Dalton, but she ably leads the cast as the wife of the absentee director (he’s off to the front, as are most of the women’s mates). She’s sensitive but bold, brandishing a cerebral weapon for her personal, newly spawned battle to get women equal pay (and, in the process, rid herself of being labeled her husband’s parrot).

The individual jokes, not incidentally, take a back seat to a farcical scene about walking like a man that features codpieces.

There’s a smirk hidden in the “Into the Breeches” title: King Henry V’s battle cry was, according to Willie the Shakes, “Once more, into the breach.” Here, the play on words implies women climbing into men’s trousers.

Mostly upbeat, the charming play by George Brant (with many added references to East Bay locations that trigger wild applause and shouts of “yay”), also delves adroitly if superficially into issues of race, sexual discrimination, misogyny and family separation.

The full cast is skillful: Dana Lewenthal plays a narcissistic but forgiving diva Celeste Fielding, who opts to play Cinderella rather than having to inhabit a character her own age; Alana Wagner as Ida Green, a Black costume designer who aims to snap a racial barrier; Helen Kim as Grace Richards, a newcomer to town who’s terrified her husband wouldn’t approve of her acting; Mary Katherine Patterson as June Bennett, a bike-riding ingenue who wants to become a symbol of patriotism and war efforts; and Chris Harper as Winifred’s board president husband, Ellsworth, who prefers to block progress but folds under pressure.

L-R, Gregory Lynch and Alana Wagner appear in Masquers Playhouse’s fun production of “Into the Breeches.” (Mark Decker via Bay City News)

The Masquers production is a bit quirky. Some of the props on the spare set are covered in material (looks like sheets) that’s removed only when the particular item is needed.

Director Marilyn Langbehn manages to neatly balance its comedy and heart.

Theatergoers appreciated the perfection of the recorded WWII music playing between scenes and the two acts. After the play, one patron said, “I came with trepidation because I’m not a fan of Shakespeare, but I shouldn’t have worried because the short excerpts didn’t get in the way of my enjoying all the comedy.”

And a woman in the first row said she enjoyed the show because the actors were “real people” who acted like real people.

“Into the Breeches” runs through Aug. 3 at the Masquers Playhouse, 105 Park Place, Point Richmond. Tickets are $15 $35 at www.masquers.org. 

Contact Sherwood “Woody” Weingarten, a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theater Critics Circle and author of four books, at voodee@sbcglobal.net, https://woodyweingarten.comand https://vitalitypress.com.

This article was first published onLocalNewsMatters.org, a nonprofit site supported by Bay City News Foundation http://www.baycitynews.org/contact/

Jul 13 2025
Love2

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

By Joseph Cillo

 


Smooth cons. Sharp twists. Big laughs. Song & dance.

In this musical take on the iconic con-man comedy, two swindlers clash on the sun-soaked Riviera: Lawrence, the polished gentleman who charms rich women out of their fortunes, and Freddy, a scrappy upstart with big stories and no filter. When they target the same seemingly sweet heiress, the bet is on—first to extract $50,000 wins the turf. But as fake identities stack up and the schemes spiral, this fast-paced romp builds to a final twist that flips the game in all the right ways.

This is a BIG production

Bold, bright, and bursting with talent. With a 13-member cast, the show comes to life in a full-throttle staging that matches its mischief, glamour, and comedic punch.

Cast & Crew Kudos
Larry Williams brings just the right polish and poise as Lawrence Jameson — smooth, unflappable, and always scheming with flair. Drew Bolander’s Freddy is a full-throttle chaos engine, diving into every gag and pratfall like he’s auditioning for a cartoon. Joanna Lynn Bert plays Christine Colgate with a wide-eyed sweetness that keeps us guessing — is she a mark or a master? Julianne Bradbury hits all the right notes as Muriel, with warmth and comic spark, while Tim Setzer’s Andre delivers dry charm in every line. Emma Sutherland (Jolene) has great presence, and Seana Nicol leads a tight ensemble as Dance Captain, backed by a spirited cast that brings nonstop energy to the stage.

While all are excellent, this is truly an ensemble piece — fast-moving and well-oiled, thanks in part to sharp music direction from Aja Gianola on keyboards and excellent scenic and scene projections that glide us from one caper to the next. Director Carl Jordan’s touch keeps the con rolling without a hitch.

Scoundrels in Action – a whirlwind of charm, chaos, and Riviera mischief.

Photo Credit: Katie Kelley

Slick cons, bold mischief, and full-throttle song and dance — Dirty Rotten Scoundrels delivers the goods. No kidding.

Sonoma Arts Live presents Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Now through July 27, 2025
Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30pm
☀️ Sunday matinees at 2 pm
Rotary Stage, Andrews Hall
Sonoma Community Center
276 East Napa Street, Sonoma, CA

️ Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased online at:
www.sonomaartslive.org
Credit cards accepted. Advance booking strongly recommended for weekend performances.

★★★★★

Authorship & Creative Statement

Each review is created through my proprietary FocusLens℠ method—an original editorial process shaped by firsthand experience, critical insight, and structured narrative design. Original photography, graphics, director quotes, and animated elements are incorporated to enhance reader engagement and visual impact. State-of-the-art scaffolding systems support organization and phrasing, but every sentence and decision reflects my own voice and judgment. These are not AI-generated reviews—they are authored, shaped, and published by me.

Jul 03 2025
Love0

The Last Goat: Tensions Rise (and Truth Slips) on a Dying Island

By Joseph Cillo

 


A stranger arrives. A balance breaks. Survival gets personal.

From the first quiet moment to the final reckoning, this drama never lets go.
Set on the crumbling island of Kasos in 1177 BCE, The Last Goat tells a quietly tense story of survival, longing, and control. Young Kori dreams of escape. Her grandmother Melina clings to the life they’ve managed to preserve. When Nikolis, a charming castaway with a shifting story, arrives, their fragile balance begins to crack. Desires clash, lies deepen, and the three hurtle toward a dangerous confrontation none of them may survive.

The setup: An island. A castaway. A collision of needs and secrets.
Kori and Melina live alone on the edge of a vanished world. They’re scraping together survival after a mysterious collapse has emptied their island. Then Nikolis washes ashore, claiming nobility and shipwreck. Kori sees possibility. Melina sees threat. As truths unravel and motives shift, the story becomes a tense standoff over freedom, safety, and power.

Cast


Photo Credit: Central Works

Performance Highlights

Liris Robles brings restless energy to young Kori.
She captures the ache of youth trapped by obligation, swinging between hope and heartbreak with fearless openness.

Jan Zvaifler’s grandmother Melina is the kind of role that simmers until it burns.
With quiet control and emotional weight, Zvaifler turns suspicion and survival into something riveting. Every glance, every pause lands with meaning.

André Amarotico gives Nikolis both charm and threat.
He shifts effortlessly from sympathetic castaway to manipulative outsider, keeping the audience unsure where his loyalty—or danger—truly lies.

Director Highlight


Gary directs his own script with focused restraint.
As both playwright and director, he builds a tightly wound story of emotional standoff, slow revelations, and unspoken danger. The result is ancient and modern at once—just like the world of The Last Goat.

Very Up-Close Theater
The setting alone deserves mention. Central Works stages its productions in a 49-seat theater tucked inside the Berkeley City Club—one of the most intimate performance spaces in the Bay Area. You don’t just see the actors—you share air with them. Every seat is close enough to catch a glance, a twitch, a whispered aside. The design wraps around the action, with seats arranged along two sides and a few directly across, enclosing the performers in a tight, all-surrounding frame. It’s not just theater—it’s an experience. You feel like you could step into the scene, or that the scene might spill into your lap. Emotional nuance lands with full force in this space, where the fourth wall is less a barrier and more a gentle suggestion. Very special.

An Observation—and Suggestion
The play opened with a well-executed projection onto a screen at the front of the set—briefly setting the scene with time, place, and atmospheric motion. It was effective, evocative… and then, used no more. What began as an excellent design element simply vanished. As later transitions relied on drawn-out lighting fades—some clearly allowing for costume changes—the energy dipped. From the audience, we found ourselves wondering: what happened to that strong visual cue? Continued use of projections could have sustained the mood and cohesion of an already thoughtful production.

Delicious Uncertainty
No one gets exactly what they want in The Last Goat—and that’s what makes the ending so satisfying. Nikolis is exposed, but not expelled. Kori is wiser, but still stuck. Melina survives, but her grip slips. The dagger returns to the mantle, but the danger hasn’t passed. It’s not resolution—it’s reckoning. And in that charged, open-ended moment, the story earns its silence. No neat bows. Just tension, truth, and a final birdcall that echoes long after blackout.

Tension lingers like a storm.

 

CATCH IT IN BERKELEY
The Last Goat runs June 28 – July 27, 2025 at the historic Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Avenue, Berkeley, CA.
Performances: Thursday & Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 7pm, Sunday at 5pm.

Tickets are $35–$45 (Fri–Sun) and Pay-What-You-Can on Thursdays and preview nights (June 26 & 27).
Same-day sliding scale tickets ($20–$45) are available starting at noon on the day of the show.

For tickets and info, visit centralworks.org or call 510.558.1381

★★★★★

Authorship & Creative Statement

Each review is created through my proprietary FocusLens℠ method—an original editorial process shaped by firsthand experience, critical insight, and structured narrative design. Original photography, graphics, director quotes, and animated elements are incorporated to enhance reader engagement and visual impact. State-of-the-art scaffolding systems support organization and phrasing, but every sentence and decision reflects my own voice and judgment. These are not AI-generated reviews—they are authored, shaped, and published by me.