Category: Performance
-
Kurt Weill’s Die Burgschaft, Spoleto Festival Review
“Die Burgschaft is the story of Mattes and Orth, two men in the mythical land of Urb who witness the gradual and tragic degradation of their trust in one another because of the dividing and corrupting influence of money and power.” From the S.E. Barcus Charleston City Paper archives, 1999.
-
Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Spoleto Review 2001
Many in the audience seemed truly touched by this “jewel of Western opera repertoire,” as Director Chen Shi-Zheng has called it.
-
Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, Spoleto Review 2001
“For all the kitsch and Brecht, what I would’ve loved to see was a critique of this dopey and insulting take on women….”
-
Stephen Sondheim’s Company, Piccolo Spoleto Festival Preview
The musical “Company,” by Stephen Sondheim, is being revived by the Footlight Players for Piccolo Spoleto due to its outstanding success in January. “Company” is considered a “concept” musical due to its non-linear form of storytelling. It washes over you with a collage of relationships, giving you a better understanding of what it’s like to…
-
Eric Bogosian’s Suburbia, review
1998 Archives My Charleston City Paper review of Eric Bogosian’s Suburbia, produced by the College of Charleston, October, 1998. Follow S.E. Barcus on Facebook.
-
Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, Piccolo Spoleto Festival Review
Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” was made for “firsts”, it seems. The concert at the Angel Oak last weekend marked the first time the 1,400-year-old tree has been used as a venue by Piccolo Spoleto, and the first time the Charleston Ballet Theater has performed their magnum opus to live music.” From the S.E. Barcus Charleston…
-
Charles Busch’s Psycho Beach Party, review
“Besides the funniest script this year with the best acting, you get dance numbers … Metts opens the show with some sexy freak-out strobelight hula hoop madness that gets everyone rocking.”
-
Cole Porter’s Anything Goes, Review
Review of Charleston Stage Company’s 2000 production of Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes”. From S.E. Barcus’ Charleston City Paper archives.
-
Frankenstein at the Charleston Stage Company, a review
“… philosophical and theological questioning, Prometheus, intricate plot-weaving, creative use of her contemporary scientific ideas on vitalism and electricity, and fine, fine terror — all mixed up by a 17-year-old, 175 years ago. Just unbelievable. Mozart-prodigy-unbelievable. Godwin and Wollstonecraft, you done us good.”
-
You Can’t Take It with You
“You Can’t Take It with You” has several plotlines that make for light, romantic farce — dealing with a young couple’s dilemma over their contrasting families and a kind, old anarchist’s dilemma over taxation — but the real meaning is in the title of the play.
S.E. Barcus 