Rob Bradshaw

This is the stuff of which nightmares are made: bad memories and worse imaginings from childhood, pretending to be funny. The Marriage of Bette and Boo is directed by DC Scarpelli and Peter Budinger. Written by Christopher Durang, the show draws close parallels to his own troubled youth. For many, parts of the story are all too true—an upbringing immersed in Catholicism, eccentric relatives, and friends with crazy families.

If you need a play to make sense, this show may not be your cup of tea. A technique common to horror and supernatural fiction genres is to dole out sense one sentence at a time. Reality shifts constantly to encompass something previously unimaginable—for a few moments the world is understood—then a new reality changes one’s expectations again.

Know beforehand that The Mystery Plays are two one act plays with completely different styles and largely separate storylines. Neither play follows definitions of modern mystery fiction.

Still with me? Good. The Mystery Plays, written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and directed by Patricia Inabnet, present two mysterious settings which take us on unexpected journeys. The show continues until Feb. 26.

With Oscar Wilde’s writing style as lure, I expected to completely enjoy Lady Windermere’s Fan but my actual reaction was quite different.

In part, I had the incorrect assumption the play was a comedy, so my expectations were upset—though there are many funny aspects. More importantly, much dialogue was difficult—some nearly incomprehensible. Bay Area community theatre management (not limited to Masquers) would do well to reconsider having actors speak in accents which are not their own, as few community theatre actors perform accents well. I’ve discussed this at http://tinyurl.com/pf8vzr

The screenplay of Lady Windermere’s Fan, originally written in 1892, has been reset to the 1950s. Directed by Patricia Inabnet.

Are you one of the thirteen people left in the world who has not yet seen Arsenic & Old Lace? Well, I was one and now I’m here to tell you this is an amusing script and nicely done; so get on it and go! This performance ends February 24, 2007.

I don’t know very much about theatre (but I know what I like). Okay, I only said that to annoy, even if both phrases are true. Pity I wasn’t given the script of Dear World, directed by Pat Nelson, or I could quote more preposterous aphorisms dropped mercilessly from the mouths of the gentry, Lady Constance (played by Theo Collins), Lady Gabrielle (played by Irene Scully) and Aurelia, the Countess of Chaillot (played by Ann Homrighausen). Some of the quips are quite funny.