More reactions to a diverse, generally rewarding current London season–and like-able Sally Field
Beyond
We Live in Cairo: An Arab-Spring Awakening
★★★★☆ Two gifted first-timers, the Brothers Lazour, find melody and hope in recent historical events marked as much by defeat as by triumph
From London: Betrayal, Three Sisters, Top Girls Tops to Middling
Harold Pinter, Caryl Churchill receive smart revivals, Anton Chekhov not so much
From London: Henrik Ibsen, Andrea Levy, Rod Serling Honored Variously
Rosmersholm strongly revived, while Andrea Levy’s thick novel, Serling’s series adapted well enough
From London: Maggie Smith Astonishes in A German Life
★★★★★ The 2016 documentary, indelibly directed on the stage by Jonathan Kent
From London: Company, Upended and Presumably New York-Bound
★★★★★ A new take on Sondheim’s 1970 single-man classic is wonderfully different, if not necessarily in the most obvious way
From London: Follies, Back at the National for an Encore Performance
★★★★☆ Revived anew, the 2017 production of Sondheim’s aged-showgirls musical retains its power, mostly
My Very Own British Invasion: A Warped Brit-Based Jukebox Tuner
★★☆☆☆ Herman’s Hermit’s lead singer Peter Noone’s story, via Rick Elice, with nostalgic rock ditties
Man in the Ring: Forgiven for Killing, Condemned for Love
★★★★☆ Shadow Box author shadow-boxes with charismatic real-life champ, wins on points
Audra McDonald: In Performance and Conversation at Town Hall
★★★★☆ The six-time Tony winner is her usual exceptional self in a one-night-only visit to Town Hall