Word For Word: Absolutely Science Fiction! ★ ★ ★ ★ BANG!

★★★★ BANG reviews are as rare as Tralfamadorian Hen's Teeth. San Francisco Theater Blog holds them back for spectacular performances, with engaging plot and character development, plus glorious staging and amazing music. The two short stories Word For Word has chosen to perform on stage for "Absolutely Science Fiction" were both written by aliens from different planets, one from Illinois and one from Indiana, and yet the magic is all here.

Ray Bradbury's "The Veldt" was written in 1950 and Kurt Vonnegut's "The Big Space Fuck" in 1979. And yet, they describe perfectly our present world's tremble before new technology. The production opens with "The Veldt." We hear the lions coming. We know what those kids are going to do. We know Ryan Tasker should not allow his children (Christian Jimenez and Hannah Mae Sturges) back into the nursery. Things are not going to end up well for naive Mom (Nicole Odell) and authoritarian Dad (Tasker). Perhaps they should listen to the author when he says..."the sun - he could feel it on his neck like a hot paw."

"The Veldt" is terrific. But "The Big Space Fuck" is the funniest thing we've seen all year. Belly Laughs. Grunts. Guffaws. Grace Hoobler (Sturges) has the best midwestern accent west of Indianapolis. The government is offering either a table lamp or a kitchen scale to all women willing to abort their pregnancies. Grace has taken three lamps and a scale. 

Dwayne Hoobler (Jimenez) has not been allowed to contribute to the Jizzum supply due to his minimal i.q. Giant lamprey eels are threatening to eat everyone anyway, so maybe it wouldn't matter. 

Joel Mullennix is an excellent Senator Snopes from Mississippi and let's not forget Odell's fabulous red-wigged mom, who is ..."sure there's something weird going on, George."

My Fellow Americans, we all need to laugh. Consider this my gift to you, in lieu of any request for contribution to the nose cone. Go see this show.

RATINGS: ★★★★ BANG

The San Francisco Theater Blog's Great Lakes Awards Division, headed by Dr. Lamprey, grants FOUR STARS with a BANGLE OF PRAISE to Word For Word's "Absolutely Science Fiction!" Word for Word always works best with comedy. They banged it right on the nose (cone) this time.

"Word For Word: "Absolutely Science Fiction!"

Z-Space Below

450 Florida St., San Francisco

Through July 19, 2026

$50-$75

"Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really": ★ ★ ★ ★

Wonderful acting, terrific staging, great sets and the monster gets what he deserves...we think. But with vampires, one never knows for sure.

Kate Hamill's retake of the classic Bram Stoker dark gothic thriller seems a lot more light-headed than the original, with the addition of a strong sense of outrage at the social condition in which women of the age appear to be confined: Stay single and be diminished or get married and become property. The women in this story aren't having any of this. They end up leading the assault against Count Dracula and all of male-dominated England while they're at it. The way they enthusiastically seal the fate of Count Dracula makes the entire audience cheer with each thwack of the silver cross and pointed stick.

 

Stacy Ross, Susi Damilano and Johnny Moreno are really, really good. Ross plays Renfield, a woman committed to an insane asylum by her husband (because that's what husbands can do), whose reasons for her erratic behavior become clearer by Act II. As always, Ross is funny and droll while also dealing with a demanding physical role. 

Damilano is Doctor Van Helsing, a cowboy-hat wearing Doctor who deals in inexplicable illnesses of other-worldly origins. We love it every time she upbraids Doctor Seward (Josh Schell), the symbol of male intrasigence. Having both Damilano and Ross on the same stage is a comedic banquet for  us.

Speaking of banquets, Johnny Moreno is a fabulous Count Dracula. He is the Anthony Bourdain of Transylvania. When he takes a bite of neck, he grunts with gourmet pleasure. As far as the expression "Consume or Be Consumed" goes, Count Dracula is the C in Consumer. 

Act Two starts slow with Van Helsing giving a perhaps overlong lecture on the history of vampires, but this is the only time we looked at our watch. The fun continues as the Count pursues further appetizers. 

RATINGS ★★★★

The San Francisco Theater Blog Awards Division grants "Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really" Four Stars. Bill English's direction moves actors and furniture seamlessly across Jackie Scott's brilliant stage. A shout-out for Nemma Adeni for her terrific Lucy. And we must also mention Kathleen Giu's costumes and Michael Palumbo's lights. 

Keep in mind: This show employs a Blood Designer. You know. Dracula.

"Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really"

San Francisco Playhouse

450 Post St., 2d floor of Kensington Park Hotel

Through 6-27-26

$52-$145

Amy Bouchard: "Amadeus Never Gives Me The Blues" ★ ★ ★ BANG

 

If we could award a sixth star to Amy Bouchard for her voice, we gladly would. Her one-woman show, "Amadeus Never Gives Me The Blues" gave us nothing but joy. The story tells of a young woman gifted with a vocal instrument for the ages who is unable to please her role model, her grandmother. Nana was also a singer as a young woman and Bouchard longs for her approval which is never forthcoming.

Along with accompanist Daniel Lockett, Bouchard breaks into song to illustrate her practice methods, her auditions, her performances and even her recordings. Every time she sings we, along with the rest of the audience, burst into enthusiastic applause.

But while we are moved musically, we are somewhat less so theatrically. The problem is not with Bouchard the performer but with the way the story is presented. It is confusing and has no surprises. We're happy to hear about Nana's past as a singer before two thousand soldiers in a USO show during World War II, but what does this have to do with Amy? We want to know more about her. Why does she love singing? How did she start? Our stereotype of opera singers is enormous women carrying a spear. Amy Bouchard is small and gorgeous. How does this happen? What about her unmentioned parents? Who set her upon this path? 

And perhaps above all: If Amadeus never gives her the blues, why not? What is there in this music that is so curative for her? We hear it when she sings. We want that feeling in her story too.

"Opera demands perfection," Bouchard says. Musically, she is there already. The show will certainly tighten up as time goes on. We will go back to see Amy Bouchard any chance we get. 

RATINGS ★★★ BANG

The San Francisco Theater Blog Awards Division grants "Amadeus Never Gives Me the Blues" Three Stars with a Bangle of Praise. Bravo! we say. With a stage presence like Amy Bouchard, this show is heading for Bravissimo!

"Amadeus Never Gives Me the Blues"

The Marsh

1062 Valencia, San Francisco

Saturdays through May 25\

$25-$35

"Come From Away": ★★★

Sometimes, a revival of a show comes at the perfect time. A new audience gets to experience the show's energy and message and the show can take on a new and sometimes stronger meaning. The 2026 Theatre Works production of Irene Sankoff and David Hein's "Come From Away" carries the same message as it did when the show premiered in 2017 on Broadway, which is: "We're all from Away. Let us be loving and generous to our neighbors."

Gander, Newfoundland, is a small Canadian town on an island in the Atlantic Ocean. But it has a large airport and was the selected landing space in 2001 when the terrorist suicide attacks on the United States necessitated the immediate closing of American air space. All planes coming into the U.S. had to either turn back around or land in Gander. The town's heroic care of so many people who came from all over the world and had to remain in Newfoundland for up to a week was the inspirational story of the year. 

The show ran on Broadway for five years.

But it's 2026 now, isn't it? In the show, when someone thanks one of the Newfounlanders and the man shrugs and says, "Well, you'd do the same thing for us," we cannot avoid the realization that today's America has gone out of its way to make enemies of our neighbors. Perhaps we would help Canadians were they in the same situation, but we can no longer count on kindness. Even Robert Kelley's direction cannot overcome this most cynical view of our present political world.

We enjoyed several cast members, especially those who could project their voices. Anthone D. Jackson, Monique Hafen Adams, Heather Orth and Dawn L. Troupe stood out whenever they were in the spotlight. Colin Thomson made a fine mayor and Melissa Wolfklain could fly my plane anytime. This is not an original-sounding score, but it was good enough for five years on Broadway, so you can make your own judgement.

RATINGS:   ★★★

The San Francisco Theater Blog (Admittedly Cynical) Awards Division grants "Come from Away" Three Stars. The show itself must suspend our disbelief in order for it to feel real. Three Stars means "Go See For Yourself." We are happy we did. 

"Come From Away"

Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts

500 Castro Street, Mountain view

Through May 10, 2026

$34 - $115

"Flex" ★ ★ ★ BANG

Basketball is the metaphor for the tough lives of five high school girls in Plainnole, AK, in Candrice Jones's new "Flex." Flex is the name of the offense point guard Starra Jones is supposed to run, but that would involve passing the ball to Sidney, a recent transplant from Oakland, and Starra's rival for team leader. Santeon Brown as Starra and Paige Mayes as Sidney are both standout performers. The rest of the team, as well as their coach Francine (Halili Knox), make up a terrific ensemble of women determined to get the most out of their lives as well as support each other during and after the game.

Starra stands out as the honest-to-goodness dribble-behind-the-back basketball player in this ensemble. (The others kind of go through the motions, basketball-wise.) Starra has also got moxie - although that's the very thing that gets her into trouble with the others. It's a little difficult to fathom why she would come up such a strange and wacky plan to maintain her place as the most important player on the team, but Brown takes us with her as she squirms in the difficult corner she has forced herself into.

The key to the drama is April, played with heart and soul by Camille Collaço. The team needs her, but she has gotten pregnant. The father is hinted at, but there is also talk of molestation that the other girls seem to understand very well. What to do? We let the team step in.

This is the power of Flex: run the offense, stay together and come out stronger as a team than you ever could as a single player, no matter how fancy you dribble.

RATINGS ★ ★ ★ BANG

The San Francisco Theater Blog grants "Flex" Three Stars with a Bangle of Praise for Santeon Brown and director Margo Hall. The script does not allow Brown (Starra) to let up on her intransigent hard-headedness and she allows us see and feel her anguish. Director Hall keeps the tension high throughout. Basketball is more than a game for all these women and they are determined to give it everything they have. Ain't no foul if the whistle don't blow.

"Flex"

San Francisco Playhouse

450 Post St., San Francisco

Through May 2, 2026

$52-$145

"Left Field" ★ ★ ★

There are amazing moments in John Fisher's "Left Field." Frenetic, subversive, ridiculous, meaningful, impossible but maybe not THAT impossible -- Fisher's ultra-cynical view of our political and social systems, as seen from left field -- which in this case just means anything that isn't center-field --  hits home more than it probably should.

Elana Swartz as Emerald and Gene Mocsy as Kebie are quite convincing in their supporting roles but this is a John Fisher show. His Delson Stammer is obnoxious but approachable. He is also different than every other politician, because the other candidates refuse to take unpopular stands. Stammer becomes Mayor of Provincetown, then Supervisor in San Francisco, even though he has opinions about everything, few of which make any sense in the real word but all of which are heartfelt. This sets him apart from everyone else.

Stammer somehow runs for Vice-President and then President. We're not sure whether he wins or loses but it doesn't really matter. Fisher's point is that it COULD happen.

The show runs long, particularly in one very long set piece in which Fisher scales every internal wall in the building to illustrate he is climbing a mountain in Alaska. This successful summit leads to name recognition and, therefore, a shot at the presidency.

I mean, this could never happen, right?

Of course, John Fisher shows are always funny. "Fascism is a temporary turn towards capitalism."

"Yale is an expensive whore with gonorhhea." 

We love what they do with the lighting in the shark scene. A hallmark of the Rhino is to do a great deal with very little in a tiny space. This company puts everything it has into every second. This is why we love shows here. John Fisher ends up doing sit-ups as the show ends. Why? Because he can. 

RATINGS ★★★

The San Francisco Theater Blog grants THREE STARS to "Left Field." John Fisher is a uniquely talented guy. His company always bites off more than anyone can chew, but we always leave the theatre amazed that, sure enough, they pulled it off again. The run for "Left Field" is over, but the melody lingers on. 

"Left Field"

Rhinocerous Theatre

4229 18th St., San Francisco

RUN IS OVER: SHOW CLOSED.

"Primary Trust" ★ ★ ★ ★

First things first: We loved this show. It is rare that a drama grabs us from the beginning and holds us to the end. "Primary Trust" is that show.

Two reasons jump out: the script by Eboni Booth and our main character Kenny, played by William Thomas Hodgson. We know something is up with Kenny, a young man who spends every night in a tiki bar drinking 2-for-1 mai-tais with his best friend Bert. Slowly we figure out that Bert exists only in Kenny's mind and Kenny is drinking both of those 2-for-1s. Ms. Booth dangles the reason in front of us but it is never spelled out until the very end.

To bring us with him, Hodgson must make us believe having a $18k/year job as a bank teller at Primary Trust, in a nondescript small town in upstate New York -- matters. And it does matter. We feel ourselves being drawn into the quiet lives of every character. 

Kenny Scott brings a lot of empathy to the unreal Bert and Dan Hiatt is his always wonderful self playing several characters, including Kenny's boss at Primary Trust. Rolanda D. Bell plays an uncountable number of servers at Wally's. Eventually, her friendship becomes the key for Kenny to loosen himself from his painful past. 

This is an award-winning performance for William Thomas Hodgson. Kudos to the entire cast. 

RATINGS ★ ★ ★ ★

The San Francisco Theater Blog grants "Primary Trust" FOUR STARS. Writing, directing (spot-on, by Jeffrey Lo), acting and sets earn one star each. We like the illuminated stars. We like the cool map. We like the whole danged thing. 

"Primary Trust"

Lucie Stern Theatre

1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto

Through Mar. 29, 2026

$34-$115