Word for Word: “The Strange Library” ★★★★ BANG

WE NOW NOTICE THAT ALL PERFORMANCES FOR THIS SHOW HAVE BEEN SOLD OUT! PLEASE CHECK WITH BOX OFFICE FOR CANCELLATIONS.

Haruki Murakami’s stories are frequently weird but always inventive. The new Word For Word production of “The Strange Library” is all that, plus unique, fun and a feast for the eyes. 

Acting must be mentioned first: Jed Parsario is fabulous as The Boy, confused but always hopeful as his woeful situation becomes more and more worrisome; and Julie Kuwabara is perfect as Sheep Man, who is probably The Boy’s friend, but with a Murakami story you never know for sure. There are also strong performances by a young girl who is clearly not real, being manipulated puppet-style by Ogie Zulueta and Vivienne Truong. Chuck Lacson is hilarious as a library girl with a mustache and beard, to say nothing about Hattam, the hulking and bejeweled Turkish Tax Collector. And in case you are not suffering from enough nightmares these days, the evil old man (Zulueta) will add to your load. 

Poor Boy. All he wanted to do was go to the library, like the obedient child he is. He is at once frightened but also perfectly willing to enjoy Sheep Man’s doughnuts to say nothing about the little girl’s kiss on his cheek. Parsario has us on our toes worrying about what will happen to him. And Kuwabara gives Sheep Man a child-like sheen, though his situation is at least as precarious as The Boy's.

We wish there were a chance to applaud for the actors at the end. This production decision makes us feel incomplete. If there is one flaw in an excellent evening of theater, this is it. 

Kudos to co-directors Lisa Hori-Garcia and Keiko Shimosato Carreiro for direction as well as choreography, and to the entire company for this adaptation. 

RATINGS  ★★★★ BANG

The San Francisco Theater Blog Awards Department, Nightmare Division, grants “The Strange Library” Four Stars with a BANGLE OF PRAISE. This is a high award for a first-rate production. We add the BANGLE for Mikiko Uesegi’s set design and the infinitely labyrinthine arrangements on stage.

"Word for Word: "Strange Library"

Z-Space Below

499 Florida St., San Francisco

Through Dec. 8

SORRY! SOLD OUT! 

Don Reed: "The DMV" ★★★

There are always terrific bits in Don Reed shows, and "The DMV" is no exception. We see seven folding chairs set up next to each other on the stage and Reed takes turns sitting in one after the other. The premise is that each chair holds a different character waiting for his or her number to be called. We all have been caught up in the endless slog that is the DMV, so we understand how there is plenty of time for the performer to give a five or ten minute monologue in the voice of each of the seven unfortunate people.

There are standout characters -- Alberta, the DMV lady behind the counter probably being the most memorable, with Reed's palm serving hysterically as Alberta's hair flips. We also loved the dick jokes - "muledick" being the best -- and especially enjoyed the Punjabi Dance. Don Reed is a funny man but he is also a great dancer. The final bit, where he does a modern-dance to an ethereal song being played over the house speakers -- is a tour de force. 

We wish there were more about the DMV. We modern humans may not be able to agree on much but everyone of us gags at going to the DMV.  Every reference Reed makes to that  dreaded place drags a dyspeptic "Oh, yeah!" out of us. But there weren't nearly enough of those. The show could have been set in a doctor's office or on the moon. 

RATINGS: ★ ★ ★

The San Francisco Theater Blog Awards Division grants THREE STARS to "The DMV." We have seen Don Reed many times before. He's a personable man and excellent performer. He is breaking no new ground here, but he is still a Bay Area treasure. 

Don Reed: "The DMV"

The Marsh

1062 Valencia. San Francisco

Through Nov 22

$20-$35 (sliding scale)