Feb 02

The Real Thing: An Infidelity Play in Capable Hands

Posted on February 2, 2012 by gilliandaniels

The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard, Salem Theatre Company, 1/28/12-2/18/12, http://salemtheatre.com/on_stage.htm.

Reviewed by Gillian Daniels

(Salem, MA) Much ink has been devoted to the subject of infidelity and romantic betrayal. Whether in songs, books, or plays, it’s a well-worn trope. Tom Stoppard recognizes this early on in The Real Thing, establishes that it’s a literary convention in the first scene, and spends the rest of the play dissecting what it really means to the characters. Continue reading →

Aug 17

Arcadia: The Paradise of Pursuit

Posted on August 17, 2011 by beccackidwell

Arcadia, by Tom Stoppard, Bad Habit Productions, Virginia Wimberley Theatre at the Boston Center for the Arts, 8/11/11-8/28/11.
http://www.badhabitproductions.org/shows/season/arcadia.html.

Reviewed by Becca Kidwell

Bad Habit Productions avoids pretension as it follows the serpentine path of thought from enlightenment to romance. The witty exchanges bounce from the actors’ tongues to all four walls of the theatre. The characters learn that the journey is more important than the definition of terms. The production dances with little hesitation through the rhythmical patterns of Stoppard’s language. Continue reading →