Alexandra GarfieldDec 14, 20194 minPure MagicIf you love Harry Potter, you likely already know about the Curran Theater's semi-permanent installation of Harry Potter and the Cursed
Alexandra GarfieldJun 20, 20192 minHerd MentalityIt boils down to this—every element of the show (the script, actors, direction, etc.) was executed to perfection, it just didn’t move me. If
Alexandra GarfieldApr 29, 20193 minThoughtful, Delightful and a Rollicking Good TimeWhat sets this version of Vanity Fair apart, however, is playwright Kate Hamill’s marvelous retelling of the story, which sheds light on Wil
Alexandra GarfieldDec 8, 20183 minBe FoundDear Evan Hansen is a show about now. About every person who has ever felt lonely or left out or insecure—it’s about all of us. Deftly bring
Alexandra GarfieldNov 17, 20183 minHigh Volta-geThe glory of the show is in its high-energy acrobatic acts. From bicycle stunts to trampoline daredevilry and stunning aerial acts, Voltadel
Alexandra GarfieldNov 7, 20183 minWomen in RiversMen on Boats, now playing at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater, has the unusual distinction of providing neither of the things promised in the title,
Alexandra GarfieldJul 22, 20183 minA Splendid Show for the SensesAt its core, A Thousand Splendid Suns is about the resilience of the human spirit and the wonderful bonds between people that can endure des
Alexandra GarfieldMay 8, 20183 minA Delightfully Classic MusicalThere is little that can make me happier than a good old-fashioned musical. 42nd Street Moon’s production of Me and My Girl is just that, a
Alexandra GarfieldMay 4, 20183 minThe Many Faces of WarLyrical, thought provoking and poignant, the current show from A.C.T. at the Geary Theater is the moving play, Father Comes Home From the Wa
Alexandra GarfieldApr 20, 20183 minGo-Go to the New Go-Go’s MusicalGet ready to go-go mad for Head Over Heels, the new Go-Go’s musical currently running a pre-Broadway engagement at San Francisco’s Curran Th
Alexandra GarfieldMar 26, 20182 minThe Principals of UncertaintyHow well can you ever truly know someone? That is the question at the core of A.C.T.’s current show, Heisenberg. Overall, it’s a good play.
Alexandra GarfieldMar 12, 20183 minViet-Going, Going, GoneVietgone is pretty good, but its unwillingness to delve into its most poignant moments stops the show from being a great one. The show is fu
Alexandra GarfieldMar 2, 20184 minTake Flight with WeightlessWeightless, is fundamentally different than anything else you’re going to see right now. It’s a rock concert and a touching small-stage prod
Alexandra GarfieldFeb 9, 20182 minA Twisted AnkleJill Vice’s newest one-woman show, A Fatal Step, is an entertaining night out. Vice’s funny characterizations are wonderfully silly and remi
Alexandra GarfieldJan 20, 20183 minQuestions, Questions EverywhereHarold Pinter’s The Birthday Party is consistently ranked in the top 100 plays of the 20th century. Often it’s in the top 20. That does not
Alexandra GarfieldJan 17, 20182 minOne Man, A Whole Hotel of CharactersDon Reed’s autobiographical one-man show will have you giggling from the first moment to the last punch line. In a brilliant mix of verbal a
Alexandra GarfieldJan 13, 20182 minDear Dad, Dear AudienceThe show is still in the rough stages and has a long way to go, but the core of the story Anderson tells is worth seeing. As it stands, the
Alexandra GarfieldDec 17, 20173 minA Garden of Vocal Talent42nd Street Moon’s production of The Secret Garden is very well sung, costumed and performed. Unfortunately, it seems to have overstretched
Alexandra GarfieldDec 15, 20173 minQuintessential Christmas CarolIf you’re going to see a production of A Christmas Carol in the Bay Area this year, it ought to be from A.C.T. Its annual production is a tr
Alexandra GarfieldDec 1, 20172 minHeartfelt Stories Shine Bright at the CurranJoyful, heartbreaking, and satisfying, Bright Star, the new musical by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, comes to San Francisco’s Curran Theat