The Little Dog Laughed [A]

I'm not sure if this show is good enough to get a grade of A (the acting is fine but not great, the book is fine, but not great), but I'm giving it one anyway. So there! It is a VERY funny show - a very good sendup: of Hollywood vs. NY, of gay vs. (whatever), of agent vs. talent. I really enjoyed watching it.

Despite my "not great" acting comment, Julie White is very good (almost great?) as the agent.

Mr. Marmalade [B]

This is a wacky mind game about a four year old girl and her friends and family (some imaginary and some real). It doesn't make a lot of sense, and it's full of gimmicks, but I fall for those gimmicks every time, and my suspension of disbelief seems to overcome the dislogic. Everybody performs well in this one, especially Michael C. Hall (previously of "Six Feet Under").

Mrs. Warren's Profession [C]

This is a play that is, presumeably, hard to appreciate without appreciating the social scandal that must have accompanied its subject matter, but I just cannot seem to muster that appreciation. It's a fun evening, but not up to what I expect from Shaw and from the Irish Rep.

The Other Side [B+]

I liked this show (WARNING: my friends hated it). It's about a mythical war, followed by a mythical peace. It oscillates between realism and surrealism. This has the effect of keeping you off balance, but it does make you think. It dramatizes the cost of war by making the small personal interactions feel important while distancing you from the counting of the dead. All three actors are quite good, and the set and even the lighting are especially good.