Posts by Emily S. Mendel | CultureVulture

Safe House

Theater November 15, 2016 Berkeley,

Keith Josef Adkins has written an admirable play that tells the tale of two free brothers of color in 1843’s Northern Kentucky. I use the word ”admirable” because the plight of the very different brothers — one ...

Frank Stella: A Retrospective

Art & Architecture November 9, 2016 San Francisco,

I’ve appreciated and admired Frank Stella’s abstract art for many years, but the de Young Museum’s exciting retrospective enriched my understanding of Stella as an artist and a man. A smaller continuation of an exhibition ...

Brittany Bellizeare (Rose) and Andy Lucien (Max).
Photo by Jim Carmody

The Last Tiger in Haiti

Theater November 3, 2016 Berkeley,

“The Last Tiger in Haiti,” a world premiere co-production between Berkeley Rep and the La Jolla Playhouse, was written by a talented newcomer, Jeff Augustin, who was born in Miami of Haitian parentage. He received his MFA in theater ...

Bruce Conner: It’s All True

Art & Architecture October 30, 2016 San Francisco,

This fascinating first retrospective of the diverse oeuvre of Bruce Conner (1933-2008) contains more than 250 objects in many media — painting, film, video, assemblage, drawing, collage, print, photography, photogram and performance, which were mostly created in San Francisco over ...

The Hard Problem

Theater October 30, 2016 San Francisco,

Usually a Tom Stoppard play is an intellectual treat, but “The Hard Problem” is part treat and part treatment. Perhaps I over-anticipated the renowned playwright’s first new play in nine years since I’m such a fan of his ...

Beth Wilmurt as Martha, David Sinaiko as George. Megan Trout as Honey, Josh Schell as Nick. Photo: Pak Han.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Theater October 21, 2016 Berkeley,

Fifty-four years after its Broadway debut, the award-winning “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” by Edward Albee (1928-2016) hasn’t lost any of its strength and force. The alcohol-fueled psychological mêlée among George, Martha, Nick and Honey ...

(background) Charles Shaw Robinson (Bishop Prang). (foreground, l to r) Will Rogers (Philip Jessup), Deidrie Henry (Lorinda Pike), Tom Nelis (Doremus Jessup), and David Kelly (Buck Titus).
Photo courtesy of Kevin Berne/Berkeley Repertory Theatre

It Can’t Happen Here

Theater October 18, 2016 Berkeley,

With startlingly prescient timing, Berkeley Rep’s current production is a new adaptation of Pulitzer Prize winner Sinclair Lewis’ 1935 satirical political novel, “It Can’t Happen Here.” Originally written as a warning about the dangers of Hitler’s and Mussolini’s fascism as ...

The Brothers Le Nain: Painters of 17th-Century France

Art & Architecture October 9, 2016 San Francisco,

While admired and respected during their lifetimes in early 17th century France, the works of the three talented Le Nain brothers, Antoine, Louis and Mathieu, are now hardly known in the United States. In fact, the last U.S. exhibition of ...

Mary-Louise Parker and Denis Arndt. Photo: Richard Termine for The New York Times

Heisenberg

Theater October 4, 2016 New York,

What makes great theater? If your answer is elaborate sets, music and dance, “Heisenberg” is not for you. But if you want to watch the beautifully acted, captivating interaction between two strangers — lost souls, who, by the end of ...

Dear Master

Theater September 26, 2016 Berkeley,

Aurora Theatre, Berkeley, California Written by Dorothy Bryant Directed by Joy Carlin Starring Kimberly King, Michael Ray Wisely Website Berkeley playwright Dorothy Bryant seemed delighted to be in the audience at the opening of Aurora Theatre’s 25th anniversary ...