Photo by Tim Sullens
Terry Morgan – Stage Raw
Playwright Richard Willett has interesting things to say about the current state of the medical industry, though the difficulty inherent in writing a “message play,” such as this one – a world premiere production at the Victory Theatre Center — is that of balance. Can an author’s polemic sustain as theater? Perhaps it can, when the characters are either convincingly real or otherwise engaging. Read more…
Now through July 10
Tim Sullens
Terry Morgan - Stage Raw
There are at least two pitfalls for “a play of ideas” — that is, the kind of piece that George Bernard Shaw made his name on and that is specifically created to discuss and debate a particular issue. The first pitfall is that this sort of play can be talky and dry, all intellect and no plot, something Shaw was accused of more than once.
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Now running through June 2
Photo by Tim Sullens
Neal Weaver – Stage Raw
There’s been no shortage of political satires on local stages, but all too many of them have been broad, obvious and stridently partisan. Jason Wells’ black farce, here receiving its world premiere production, is several cuts above the rest. It’s literate, sophisticated, hip, hilariously funny and relatively free of political bias. Read more…
Deborah Klugman – LA Weekly
The Engine of Our Ruin, now having its world premiere at the Victory Theatre Center under the direction of Maria Gobetti, is a wildly uneven comedy. Written by Jason Wells, it runs the gamut from your basic physical farce (better-hide-in-the-closet-because-you’re-drunk-and-the-boss-is-coming sort of thing) to a thoughtful, if somewhat wordy, satiric take on international diplomacy. Read more…
Now running through June 26
Les Spindle – Frontiers L.A.
Reaching back to its early years, the 34-year-old Victory Theatre Center is offering a new production of Kos Kostmayer’s On the Money, previously presented there in 1982. The play takes a stab at exploring certain themes still relevant in modern times, primarily the desperate challenges of many American citizens to make financial ends meet when the odds against that can seem insurmountable. Read more…
Deborah Klugman – ArtsBeatLA
In Kos Kostmayer’s On the Money, directed by Tom Ormeny, three overworked and underpaid employees with pressing financial problems debate whether or not to steal from their boss whose sole concern is his own profit. Read more…
Steven Leigh Morris – LA Weekly
If you also miss the 20th century, and how it paved the way for today, you might want to check out Kos Kostmayer’s On the Money at Burbank’s Victory Theatre. This same company staged this same play 30 years ago. Its presentation now is part of the Victory’s 35th-anniversary season. Read more…
Now running through March 2.