{"id":110413,"date":"2025-10-05T12:27:24","date_gmt":"2025-10-05T19:27:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=110413"},"modified":"2025-10-05T12:27:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T19:27:24","slug":"clever-solo-show-at-the-marsh-berkeley-scrutinizes-the-search-for-a-soulmate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/clever-solo-show-at-the-marsh-berkeley-scrutinizes-the-search-for-a-soulmate\/","title":{"rendered":"Clever solo show at The Marsh Berkeley scrutinizes the search for a soulmate"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Steve Budd\u2019s face shows how he feels in Oy, What They Said About Love. Photo by Michael Prine Jr.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

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By WOODY WEINGARTEN<\/strong><\/p>\n

Steve Budd, in Oy, What They Said About Love<\/em>, is committed \u2014 to not<\/em> being committed.<\/p>\n

Throughout the amusing and heartbreaking 70-minute solo performance at The Marsh Berkeley, he desperately wants to find The One, his beshert<\/em>, his soulmate.<\/p>\n

And he does. Momentarily.<\/p>\n

The 50-year-old\u2019s relationship is at best tumultuous \u2014 on and off, on and off again, on and off once more. From Kenya to Boston. From ultra-hot to icy.<\/p>\n

The Oy<\/em> in the title should be a dead giveaway: Budd\u2019s clever one-man show is Jewish-oriented.<\/p>\n

In it, he sings snippets of Hebrew songs and prayers, occasionally inspiring some audience members to do an impromptu unison sing-along. He also tosses in a handful of words that might not be familiar to every theatergoer. Like schmutz <\/em>(dirt), traif <\/em>(non-kosher), and shiksa<\/em> (non-Jewish female).<\/p>\n

The Oakland-based actor\/writer\/storyteller\/standup comic embodies his own being and that of his wannabe wife, a strikingly beautiful Black \u00e9migr\u00e9 from Africa. She\u2019s everything<\/em> he desires in a woman \u2014 except she\u2019s not Jewish. She\u2019s willing to convert, however, and wants to have \u201cEinstein kinky-haired kids\u201d with him. Going from one tribe to another wouldn\u2019t be a big deal, she submits.<\/p>\n

Budd, a white-haired guy who knows exactly how to comedically utilize his rubbery body and face, explores commonalities and differences in relationships, and why his fail while others succeed. He also illustrates his bumpy journey by morphing himself into the personas of both genders of friends he\u2019s interviewed.<\/p>\n

He depicts, for example, Connor and Sarah (an interfaith couple who met at a Halloween party) on an escape trip to Canada, a visit to an Emergency Room because of an ear infection, and a heartfelt, long-withheld utterance of \u201cI love you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shows Gaby finally accepting Matt as her partner, after having met not cute but on Craigslist, by lowering her expectations.<\/p>\n

He exquisitely describes folks through their own words. \u201cHe does not know how to blow his nose quietly,\u201d for instance.<\/p>\n

He also details his mother\u2019s death. And switches the om<\/em> chant to one emphasizing the word mom<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Steve Budd\u2019s relationship crumbles. Photo by Michael Prine Jr.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

The monologist\u2019s acting chops have evolved enough so there\u2019s no need for props or costumes or a set. The stage, indeed, is barren except for a chair and two undecorated blocks on which to sit. Infrequent lighting changes and recorded music do add some atmosphere.<\/p>\n

Budd\u2019s journey \u2014 directed by Mark Kenward and Kenny Yun \u2014is at once funny and agonizing. And he displays it all while wearing a simple shirt with hoodie, darkish trousers, and old-fashioned black-and-white sneakers.<\/p>\n

But, oy<\/em>, he weaves his own written words into a narrative so real that it\u2019s easy for the audience to visualize each character in his theatrical stockpile.<\/p>\n

Oy, What They Said about Love<\/em> will run at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley, through Oct. 25. Tickets: $25 to $35; reserved seating $50 to $100 (plus a convenience fee of $3 a ticket). Info: 415-641-0235 or www.themarsh.org<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sherwood \u201cWoody\u201d Weingarten, a longtime voting member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theater Critics Circle and the author of four books, can be contacted by email at\u00a0voodee@sbcglobal.net<\/a> or on his websites, <\/em>https:\/\/woodyweingarten.com<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0https:\/\/vitalitypress.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    By WOODY WEINGARTEN Steve Budd, in Oy, What They Said About Love, is committed \u2014 to not being committed. Throughout the amusing and heartbreaking 70-minute solo performance at…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":3.5,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-110413","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-woody-weingarten"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"