REVIEW: “Bells Are Ringing” at Oldcastle

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…

REVIEW: “Later Life” at Oldcastle

Reviewed by Gail M. Burns, June, 1999 It is a crime that the WTF can sell-out with a nothing-burger like “Factory Girls” and Oldcastle can fill barely half the house for their season opener “Later Life” by A. R. Gurney. Oldcastle is offering a considerably better show for the money,…

REVIEW: “The Little Foxes” at Oldcastle

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…

REVIEW: “Taking Steps” at Oldcastle

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…

REVIEW: “Sweet Talk” at Oldcastle

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…