Critic unbound

I just returned from a few whirlwind days of theatergoing in London, and by a fortunate quirk of scheduling, was able to see four of the most popular and critically acclaimed British musicals of the past few years. None of them, so far as I know, have plans to come to Broadway — or, I … Continue reading London Calling: Will Broadway Answer? →

I thought I was inured to the sight of Donald Trump and his apologists steamrolling through TV interviews with misinformation and misdirection. But there was something transcendently awful about Elise Stefanik’s appearance on Meet the Press a couple of weeks ago.  Start with the eerily immobile grin affixed to her face as the New York congresswoman was … Continue reading How Not To Interview a Trump Shill →

The death of Norman Lear has prompted the usual glowing tributes, all of them deserved, for one of TV’s great pioneers. All in the Family and its many spinoffs revolutionized television comedy — brought it social relevance; tackled controversial issues, from racism to abortion; gave voice to minority communities that were at the time largely invisible on … Continue reading Norman Lear’s Real Revolution →

Republicans are nearly coming to blows in the hallways and hearing rooms of Congress. Violent threats against judges, legislators, and election workers keep mounting. Donald Trump’s rhetoric grows more vicious and inflammatory by the day. Meanwhile, the polls show that Trump, despite his increasingly unhinged behavior and four criminal indictments, has a better than even … Continue reading What Marianne Williamson Got Right →

It looks, alas, like this relationship is for real. Taylor Swift was in the sky boxes again on Sunday, for the fourth time in the past five weeks, to cheer on her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.  Every time the cameras cut away to the pop star — even before her choreographed touchdown … Continue reading Taylor Swift, Can You Please Go Home? →

Judging by the chorus of rave reviews, it appears that Broadway has a new hit comedy. “A buffet of delights"; "riotously funny"; "a sparkling ensemble comedy” — those are just a few of the encomiums hurled at Jocelyn Bioh’s new play, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.  I promised myself recently that I would try to stop being … Continue reading At Jaja’s: The Emperor’s New Braids →

For political pundits, campaign gurus, and Trump haters of all stripes, it’s a nagging conundrum. Why, even as the felony charges against him keep mounting, do Donald Trump’s poll numbers keep going up?  There is no shortage of explanations: Trump’s uncanny skill at controlling the narrative, so that each new charge is simply further evidence … Continue reading The Writers Strike Is Over. Will It Hurt Trump? →

I was gratified to see all the kind tributes to Bob Barker, the venerable TV game show host who died last weekend at age 99.  But none of them, I felt, really got at the heart of Barker’s contribution to American television. He was one of a handful of performers from the early days of the … Continue reading Why Bob Barker Really Mattered →

Here Lies Love, David Byrne’s musical about the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos, has finally come in from the cold. The show made a smashing debut in a limited run at the Public Theater in 2013; returned there a year later for an all-too-brief reprise production; but has since been largely missing in action, at … Continue reading ‘Here Lies Love’: Better Than ‘Hamilton’? →

A thought experiment: Would the country be better off if Donald Trump had won a second term as President in 2020?  Don’t wince; I haven't gone over to the dark side. But the idea has nagged at me over the past few months, as I’ve watched with alarm the increasingly likely prospect that Trump will … Continue reading Would We Be Better Off If Trump Had Won in 2020? →