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Theatre Eddys

Theatre Eddys

San Francisco Bay Area Theater Reviews

San Francisco Playhouse

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

May 9, 2025 by Eddie Reynolds Leave a Comment

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time Simon Stephens, Based on the Novel by Mark Haddon San Francisco Playhouse A boy of fifteen years, three months, three days can count from a fast moving train the exact number of trees on a hillside, of clouds in the sky, and of hues of green in the meadows passing by.  He notes without hesitation that his neighbor … [Read more...] about The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play

February 7, 2025 by Eddie Reynolds

Exotic Deadly: Or The MSG Play Keiko Green San Francisco Playhouse In 1908, a Japanese scientist isolated and duplicated the savory taste of a particular type of seaweed, leading to a flavor enhancer that over the years became very popular in Asian cooking.  In 1968, an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine by an unknown Dr. Ho Man Kwok claimed … [Read more...] about Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play

Evita

July 4, 2024 by Eddie Reynolds Leave a Comment

Evita Andrew Lloyd Webber (Music); Tim Rice (Lyrics) San Francisco Playhouse With music that ranges from solemn classical, hip-swishing Latin, and grinding rock to soaring ballads and anthems, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita leaves any audience member with enough memorable earworms for a full night’s worth of dreams.  The endurance of Webber’s music coupled with lyrics by … [Read more...] about Evita

The Glass Menagerie

May 9, 2024 by Eddie Reynolds

The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams San Francisco Playhouse As we enter the theatre, we immediately notice at the stage’s corner a young man intently smoking, looking one moment longingly into a non-descript distance and writing the next with much intent into a small notebook clasped tightly in his hand.  In between, he rummages through a collection of records, … [Read more...] about The Glass Menagerie

The 39 Steps

March 14, 2024 by Eddie Reynolds

The 39 Steps Adapted by Patrick Barlow Based on the Novel by John Buchan From the Movie by Alfred Hitchcock San Francisco Playhouse In Patrick Barlow’s 2005 theatrical adaptation of the 1915 John Buchan novel and the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film version of The 39 Steps, the suspense and dark natures of Hitchcock’s enduring thriller – ranked in 1999 by the British Film … [Read more...] about The 39 Steps

A Chorus Line

June 30, 2023 by Eddie Reynolds

A Chorus Line James Kirkwood and Nicolas Dante (Book): Marvin Hamlisch (Music); Edward Kleban (Lyrics) Originally Conceived by Michael Bennett San Francisco Playhouse What is immediately striking as the twenty-four dancing hopefuls both sprint and shuffle onto the stage is the wide variety of shapes, sizes, races, and ages among them.  At first glance, many of them is … [Read more...] about A Chorus Line

Chinglish

May 11, 2023 by Eddie Reynolds

Chinglish David Henry Hwang San Francisco Playhouse With a congenial big smile behind the center-stage lectern, American businessman Daniel Cavanaugh punctuates his talk on “Doing Business in China” with examples how Chinese interpreters often massacre common English phrases in commercial signage, with “Chief Financial Officer” becoming “Financial Affairs Is Everywhere … [Read more...] about Chinglish

Cashed Out

February 2, 2023 by Eddie Reynolds

Cashed Out Claude Jackson, Jr. San Francisco Playhouse Walking into the theatre and seeing the impressive scenic design of Tanya Orellana, my expectations for San Francisco Playhouse’s world premiere of Cashed Out only increased.  Already I was excited that this commissioned work coming from the Playhouse’s pandemic Zoomlet series of ten-minute plays is written by a … [Read more...] about Cashed Out

The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin

May 13, 2022 by Eddie Reynolds

The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin Jessica Huang San Francisco Playhouse “America is lonely. Yes.  Is hard.  Is ugly.  Is angry.  Is scary.  But maybe.  Maybe not.  Maybe not so much.  Maybe home.  Someday.” In a country where nearly all the present population once immigrated from somewhere else, the United States has historically been plummeted with wave after wave of … [Read more...] about The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin

Water by the Spoonful

March 24, 2022 by Eddie Reynolds Leave a Comment

Water by the Spoonful Quiara Alegría Hudes San Francisco Playhouse   Remaining estranged from a son for ten years.  Maneuvering through a messy divorce.  Refusing any sort of relationship with a birth mother while caring for the dying aunt (her sister) who raised him.  Being the mother now detested by your son.  Wanting to find the Japanese birth parents … [Read more...] about Water by the Spoonful

Heroes of the Fourth Turning

February 3, 2022 by Eddie Reynolds Leave a Comment

As birds chirp from every direction, a backwoods cabin sits against a backdrop of giant pines, lined up like sentry soldiers guarding under a Wyoming sky whose stars begin to peak through their needles.  Intermittent chords resembling a distant foghorn are heard as we settle into our seats; but there is something ominous in their low, haunting sounds.  As the play progresses, … [Read more...] about Heroes of the Fourth Turning

Art (A Review of a Filmed & Streamed Live Performance)

October 26, 2020 by Eddie Reynolds Leave a Comment

After almost seven months of watching all the Netflix and Amazon Prime series that I have missed in the past twenty years of annually seeing 150+ live performances on local and worldwide stages, I have been finally lured back to local theatre.  What has prompted me to write my first review since March 12 is San Francisco Playhouse’s bold step to become one of the first theatres … [Read more...] about Art (A Review of a Filmed & Streamed Live Performance)

Tiny Beautiful Things

February 5, 2020 by Eddie Reynolds

“Dear Sugar, ... I’m secretly addicted to pain meds.” “Dear Sugar, Icky thoughts turn me on …” “Dear Sugar, My wife drinks while I am at work …” “Dear Sugar, My daughter has a tumor … and I find myself doubting God’s existence.” “Dear Sugar, My birth mother doesn’t want to meet me.” “Dear Sugar, What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck?  I’m asking this … [Read more...] about Tiny Beautiful Things

Groundhog Day The Musical

December 12, 2019 by Eddie Reynolds

Phil is pissed, big time.  That Pittsburg’s best-known, TV weatherman has to drag himself on February 2 to the podunk town of Punxsutawney, PA to provide live coverage for the stupid tradition of having someone declare if a so-called groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow or not is totally insulting.  To make it worse, on his way to the annual ceremony on Gobbler’s … [Read more...] about Groundhog Day The Musical

The Daughters

October 25, 2019 by Eddie Reynolds Leave a Comment

In 1955 their meeting in a San Francisco apartment could have resulted in all of them being arrested, losing their jobs, and being shunned by family and friends.  In 2015, their having a special place in the City by the Bay to meet was deemed as no longer needed (or financially viable). In a matter of sixty years, was it time to declare triumphantly, “Face it, we won!” as … [Read more...] about The Daughters

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Eddie is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle.

Theatre Eddys Ratings Legend

5 E's - Loved It
A classic, would see it a second time.
4 E's - Really Liked It
Excellent, strong production.
3 E's - Liked It
Good production but something is lacking or not clicking.
2 E's - Just OK
Below average but had at least one interesting component.
1 E - Did Not Like It
Waste of time.

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Theatre Eddys reviews performances throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

About Eddie

Theatre Critic for the Greater San Francisco Bay Area, writing 150+ reviews annually for Theatre Eddys and Talkin' Broadway (San Jose/Silicon Valley). Read More

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