Weekend Theatre: May 15-17
The cast of ReAct Theatre's "Rabbit Hole" at the Richard Hugo House.
ONE WEEKEND ONLY: Orgy of Tolerance @ On the Boards. Jan Fabre's Troubleyn theatre company presents a mind-boggling epic that takes on a culture that consumes as a form of masturbation. (Fri.-Sun. 8 p.m. 100 W. Roy St. Tix $24.)
7 Jewish Children @ New City Theatre. Caryl Churchill's new play is a 15-minute story about violence in the Middle East. Proceeds support charities for Palestinian children. (Fri. & Sat., 9:15 p.m. 1404 18th Ave. Free with donation.)
OPENING
Titus @ WET. A modern re-imagining of the lesser known play in which Bill Shakespeare took off in a Quentin Tarantino direction and produced two hours and some of perverted bloodbath. (Fri.-Mon. 8 p.m. 608 19th Ave. E. Tix $10-$18)
Grease @ 5th Avenue. We'd say something about this show here, but is it really necessary? It's Grease. (Fri. 8, Sat. 2 & 8, Sun. 1:30 & 7. 1308 Fifth Ave. Tix $29-$88)
ALSO PLAYING
Picasso at the Lapin Agile @ the Balagan. "Martin tried multiple times to get this play about the big forces of the Twentieth Century--embodied by Einstein and Picasso--swirling around a Parisian bar made into a movie without success, but if he could ever get the project together, and if Hanks could take some time off from his busy ripping-off-Umberto-Eco career, and if, perhaps, Martin himself could take on a role...well, let us tell you right now--that movie would fucking suck. But stage the thing in some Capitol Hill basement in front of a boozed-up audience (hey, we're all at the Lapin Agile!), and you've got something pretty great." [Read our review.] Tix $12-$15.)
Lovetanic @ the Historic University Theatre. Local comic geniuses Wing-It Productions are halfway through the run of Lovetanic, a semi-improvised musical based on the story of the Titanic. (5510 University Way NE. Thurs. & Fri. 8 p.m. Tix $10.)
Rabbit Hole @ Hugo House. "It's easy to enjoy the cast--you meet the family at their most fragile point, so unable to keep it together that they're reduced to a caricature of miscommunication, but then you gradually get to know (or guess at) the vibrant personalities so distorted by grief and stress. But that still leaves the question of why to go see a play that, for all its brusque, mordant humor, has such sadness at its heart." [Read our review.] (1634 Eleventh Ave. Fri. & Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 & 7 p.m. $15.)
Embarrassed! @ VoxBox. "The ensemble of actors take the stage for 12 or so minutes each to recount what's supposed to be the most embarrassing moment of their lives, and while the first half is decidedly weaker than the second, there's enough real laughs by the end to justify the ticket price." [Read our review.] (1205 Pike St. #BA. Fri. & Sat. 8 p.m. $10.)
CLOSING
Love's Tangled Web @ Annex Theatre. "Love's Tangled Web reminded us sharply of how hilariously queeny things used to be around here. It goes on far too long--what starts out with a full head of bitchy, biting steam somersaults into the ridiculous, then faceplants." [Rad our review.] (1100 E. Pike St. Fri. & Sat., 8p.m. Tix $12/$5.)
Gutenberg! the Musical @ ArtsWest. "Gutenberg, Johann. 'German printer born around the year 1400. Detailed records of his life and work are scant.' Or so the audience is told by the fictional playwrights Doug Simon and Bud Davenport, based on their internet research. With what little info they do know about the inventor of the printing press, the fictional friends write and compose Gutenberg! The Musical!, filling in the missing details of his life with what they charitably call 'historical fiction.'" [Read our review.] (4711 California Ave. SW. Thurs.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Tix $32/$10.)
