Reviewed by Gail M. Burns, August, 1999 “November”, which opened belatedly at Oldcastle on Tuesday, is a new play by a playwright who identifies himself only as J Ranelli. I assume he is a he because that is how Oldcastle referred to him in their press release, but often when…
Reviewed by Gail M. Burns, July, 1999 I was so excited to see “Bells Are Ringing” on Oldcastle’s 1999 schedule. This happy 1956 musical with music by Jule Styne and book and lyrcis by Betty Comden and Adolph Green is not done nearly enough. I looked forward to Friday evening…
Reviewed by Gail M. Burns, September, 1998 When I was an aspiring teenage playwright, there were very few female playwrights for me to use as role models. In fact, there was only one – Lillian Hellman (1905-1984). Naturally, I was interested in who this one pioneer was and what she…
Reviewed by Gail M. Burns, August, 1998 Oldcastle has another Ayckbourn hit on its hands. Their production of Ayckbourn’s 1991 comedy “Taking Steps” is a flawless gem. Oldcastle has made a lucky find in Sir Alan Ayckbourn, one of the modern theatre’s most prolific and consistently funny playwrights. Armed with…
Reviewed by Gail M. Burns, August, 1998 You know you’re getting old when… You know you’re getting old when you walk out of the theatre saying “When I was young we knew how to do sex and nudity on the stage. Not like these politically correct young whipper-snappers today. No…
