...but Shakespeare was a fraud. Or at least that's how the Bard conspiracy theorists would have it. And Berkeley's Central Works Theatre Company's current production, (apparently that's pronounced "Loney," lest we get something else wrong about theatrical history) aims to bring the controversy into the (foot)light. Never mind that another playwright, Amy Freed, already broke this dramatic ground with The Beard of Avon, which ran at A.C.T. a couple of years ago. Totally different play. Where Beard was a comic farce à la Shakespeare in Love, Looney, written and directed by Gary Graves, is about the controversy itself. SFist hasn't seen it yet, but the Berkeley Daily Planet loved it, and it features one of our absolute favorite actors, Chris Herold. Plus Central Works performs at the Berkeley City Club, which is a gorgeous, Julia Morgan-designed building, and the theater space there is intimate and warm. Go check it out this weekend.

The Mysterious Mr. Looney