Stage Fog: Sex and the U.S. Government
Here at Stage Fog we try, a bit desperately at times, to wrench the week's picks into some sort of theme. "Sex and the U.S. Government" seems a bit of a stretch, but really, if you think about it--gay marriage, abortion, Clinton--it works. So this week, you'll find some sex and some government, but no Clinton, alas.
Purvis at Intersection for the Arts
Despite the storm last night, theatergoers packed Intersection for the Arts' small theater to witness resident company Campo Santo's latest world premiere of fiction writer Denis Johnson's Purvis. (Yes, Campo Santo opens on a Monday night, and still people push the place to capacity.) Johnson's past collaborations with the company, which include rad titles like Shoppers Carried by Escalators into the Flames and Soul of a Whore, all explore the ambiguities and contradictions of the American soul with a biting, insightful wit. Purvis does the same, but this time Johnson appropriates more specific American history, specifically Melvin Purvis's capture of Public Enemy Number One John Dillinger. This play doesn't gel as much as his previous ones, but Purvis displays some amazing writing (in blank verse no less) with visceral metaphors and entertaining sight gags like actress Catherine Castellanos playing J. Edgar Hoover in its journey into the making of American myths, celebrities and icons.
Playing through March 20
Photo of a scene from Purvis, courtesy of Intersection for the Arts.
100 Years of Sex-Acts at Exit on Taylor
Yeah, thought that title caught your attention. No, it's not those kind of sex acts. They're one-acts about sex. We know, we know: bummer. Well, maybe we can think of it as erotica. In any case, Eastenders' 100 Years of Sex-Acts, as the name implies, surveys six plays written within the past 100 years that deal with the taboo subject. From disillusioned Strindberg to passionate Lorca to political Churchill, look for jealous partners, old men chasing young women and marital quarrels. But what grabbed our attention were Tennessee Williams's And Tell Sad Stories of the Death of Queens, which was written between 1957 and 1970, but didn't premiere until 2004; and Dacia Mariani's Dialogue Between a Prostitute and Her Client, which features the men in the audience as the clients.
Playing through April 1
Shadow Crossing at Berkeley City Club
Local playwright Brian Thorstenson's work is finally seeing some stage time at several local companies this year, starting out with the East Bay's Central Works, which is mostly known for original works helmed by company member Gary Graves. Still created in this collaborative spirit, Shadow Crossing explores notions of citizenship and immigration, following one man who comes to the U.S. (San Francisco in particular) to find more opportunities, and following another man who's just as desperate to leave the U.S., because it doesn't recognize gay marriage, for Canada. The play caught the positive attention of the Chronicle today, happily raising the profile of the city's talented playwrights.
Playing through March 26
For more stage options, check out the listings at the Guardian, the Express, the SF Weekly, and the calendar on Theatre Bay Area's website.