Planet Bard: NOW: In the Wings on a World Stage, reviewed.

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Kevin Spacey and Annabel Scholey in the Bridge Theatre Project's Richard III.

Over on The Dissolve today, I review the documentary-with-pretentious-title NOW: In the Wings on a World Stage, about the Bridge Theatre Project's globetrotting Sam Mendes-directed, Kevin Spacey-starring Richard III.

I couldn't use this in my review, but it demonstrates the Herculean rigor of my research and/or how much of my own time I'm willing to waste: In one of the film's performance clips we hear Spacey conclude a speech, “Counting myself but bad ‘til I be best.” I just saw Richard III at the Folger Theater a few months back (here's my review), and I didn't remember that line. Turns out it belongs to Richard III but comes from Henry VI, Part 3, suggesting Mendes & Co. incorporated some material from other plays into their text, a common practice. The film never mentions they did it, though.

Minutes after we watch Spacey do the line in performance, we see a rehearsal clip where he delivers it in a dead-on impersonation of President Clinton.

The Prince of Wails: Henry IV, Part 1 and Part 2, reviewed.

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Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. Edward Gero in Henry IV, Part 1.

That's Edward Gero as King Henry IV. I found out only the other day he was in Die Hard 2: Die Harder, a film I loved in 1990 but which has not aged as well as Die Hard or even Die Hard with a Vengeance. I probably didn't talk about him enough in my tangled but enthusiastic Washington City Paper review of both parts of the Shakespeare Theatre's Company's new, Michael Kahn-directed repertory of Henry IV, Part 1 and Part 2.

The Chimes at Midnight, Orson Welles' 1965 compression of the Henriad, which I probably spent too much real estate on in the review, is officially, criminally out-of-print, but you can watch it in its entirety for the time being on YouTube. Do.

In Arms' Way: Golda's Balcony and Moth, reviewed.

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Tovah Feldshuh as Golda Meir.

I review Golda's Balcony, William Gibson's 2003 solo play about the life of Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, and the U.S. premiere of Australian playwright Declan Greene's Moth in today's Washington City Paper, available wherever finer alt-weeklies are given away for free. Read all about 'em.

Birthday Suit: Elevator Repar Service's Arguendo, reviewed.

Mike Iveson and Vin Knight in Arguendo, a show that needs more contemporary argu-mojo.(Joan Marcus)

I reviewed Arguendo, Elevator Repair Service's comic treatment of a 1991 Supreme Court case that no longer seems momentous if ever it did, for the Washington City Paper.

Tête-à-Tête Offensive: Tender Napalm and The Carolina Layaway Grail, reviewed.

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Laura C. Harris and Elan Zafir in Tender Napalm (Teresa Wood)

In one of the the shows at Signature Theatre right now, a woman (named "Woman") tells a man ("Man") in precise, step-by-step detail how she plans to sever his penis and scrotum.

In the theater next door, Beaches: The Musical is playing. Six of one...

I review Philip Ridley's Tender Napalm in this week's Washington City Paper. Plus Allyson Currin's The Carolina Layaway Grail, the inaugural production from DC playwriting collective The Welders.

Why yes, I am fairly pleased with the hed, thanks. It's one of the very few times I've ever managed to top my editor (and Heds Will Roll Tumblr proprietr) Jon Fischer's suggestion, which is on Heds Will Roll now though it's far more tasteful than mine. Then he came back and nailed the photo caption, so. 

Habit, Run: Water by the Spoonful and Normal, reviewed.

Vincent J. Brown and Amy Kim Waschke in Water by the Spoonful (Teddy Wolff)

Brian McDermott, Elizabeth Darby, and Alex Zavistovich in Normal (Kristin Jackman)

In today's Washington City Paper, I review the Pultizer-winning drama Water by the Spoonful at Studio Theatre and Molotov's production of Normal, a play about the Dusseldorf Ripper.

Fear of a Dwarf Planet: Forum's Pluto and WSC's Orlando, reviewed.

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David Zimmerman, Jennifer Mendendall, and Kimberly Gilbert in Forum Theatre's Pluto.

NOTICE: My reviews of Steve Yockey's "rolling world premiere" Pluto for Forum Theatre and Sarah Ruhl's adaptation of Virginia Woolf's 1928 novel Orlando at WSC Avant Bard are in today's Washington City Paper, available wherever finer alt-weeklies are given away yadda yadda yadda.

The Life Despotic with Drew Cortese

Cortese and Alyssa Wilmoth Keegan as Lady Anne (Jeff Malet/Folger)

Richard Sheridan Willis as Lord Stanley (Jeff Malet/Folger)

I didn't know Drew Cortese until I saw him in The Motherfucker with the Hat at Studio Theatre this time last year, but the performance made a powerful impression. He's in Richard III at the Folger Theatre now. We talked about roads not taken and being the bad guy for a piece in today's Washington City Paper.

All photos by Jeff Malet, courtesy Folger Theatre.