Okay, occasionally they do tank with a show or two, it's true, but that means they're going out on a limb and trying new things, right? And overall, they're really good, worth subscribing to. read more

My seat was given away because I was 15 minutes late due to traffic. I had to watch the show alone in the Bar area of the venue on a screen that was not clear. I left read more

My daughter and I totally enjoyed the Berkeley Rep production of "A Doctor in Spite of Himself" at the Sunday matinee. We really like seeing plays at this theater---it's comfortable and every seat is great. You feel very "close" to the story. The sets were cleverly rendered, the music was great, the actors were superb, and the dialogue was very funny. I saw another Moliere play at Ashland last summer, and this production is almost as great as that one was. We saw "The Wild Bride" earlier this season which was both creative and moving. I highly recommend the Berkeley Rep experience. read more

Let me preface this review by saying that my wife and I have been attending plays at this theater for several years and, for the most part, have had a wonderful experience. The stages are intimate, we designed, technologically current and altogether convenient. The ambiance of the facility alone would merit a much more favorable review but unfortunately the content of the offering must count for a significant portion of the score. And that brings me to... X'S and O's a football love story The most charitable thing I can report about the production was that it left both my wife and I with the painful feeling that we just spent an hour and a half that we will never get back. The play begins with an ensemble cast, surrounded by modern gridiron music and imagery who were engaged in what can only be described as cripplingly slow choreography that walked the line between bad modern dance and goofy performance art. From there it proceeded into a sequential staccato recitation of the timeline of the genesis of the NFL punctuated with the occasional physiology 101 lesson about the realities of traumatic brain injuries complete with a lab coat and pictures and everything. From there, it progresses to alternating segments of sympathetic depictions of ex-players and spouses who recount both their underlying fondness for the game while reciting the debilitating consequences of their participation. That would have made for some sympathy had it not been interspersed with other scenes of self-righteous indignation for the perceived transgressions of the sport. And here they do not hesitate to trot out all of the sport's nasty evils for us to revile: corporatism in the league, callous mistreatment of the players, promotion of jingoistic militarism, exploitation of the underprivileged, racism, sexism, etc... They even managed to throw in a passing barb at the league's raging homophobia in the recitation of a memo from Teddy Roosevelt to president of Harvard. In the end, this overtly preachy diatribe had all the tenor of years of built up anger from hapless theater nerds finally being given a pulpit to vent their resentment for perceived slights visited upon them in the past by the athletes they despise. At this point, I can honestly say that the best outcome of the play was savoring the delicious irony of the unlikely possibility of a halftime production by an ensemble cast of washed up thespians detailing the litany of debilitating and unjust consequences of a lifetime of participating in bad theater while fondly reminiscing about their love of the craft. The problems with this play are twofold. First, goring the ox of the NFL is just too easy so they are left with nothing more profound than the "but what about the children?" theme. Seriously, its nothing more than "Don't let your precious little males grow up to become damaged, cast off camera meat for their indifferent ruling billionaire overlords and the legion of drooling, mindless orc-fans who pay countless sums to fill stadiums and buy crappy beer and food at seemingly endless sports bars.". The second problem is the play's prescriptions for the resolution of these societal horrors are dashed off as a series of straw men that range from the ridiculous to the absurd. Invest in better protective gear - nope, isn't effective. The league needs to update the regulations - sorry, the players are just getting bigger and faster and the league can never regulate away the laws of physics. Ban the sport - can't its too big to fail. Fans can stop watching - but we have a need to placate our innate violence through vicarious participation in gladiatorial conquest. So we can no more stop this behavior than we can choose not to slow down to gawk at the multi-car pileup on the freeway as we drive by.... I feel sorry for the actors who are given so very little to work with here. The characters are hollow and one dimensional. The subject matter is trite, strident, simplistic and reveals little more than the painfully self evident shortcomings of a pastime turned into an unbridled financial monstrosity. If you must endure this production, do yourself a favor of the fact that it lacks an intermission and have about four stiff drinks prior to the opening. That way you can depart shortly after the opening on the pretense of relief and avail yourself of the remainder of the play on the big screen in the bar. If you could just find a way to order some hot wings and watery beer at least you could enjoy life imitating art. read more

After The Quake has two intertwining stories written by Windup Bird author Haruki Murakami. Although I haven't read the stories themselves, I felt the Berkeley Rep production did a good job at conveying them as stories. For me that was the problem with this play. It seemed about two-thirds of the time the actors were merely reading a story to the audience and not acting at all. I like oral interpretation of literature, but not when I am expecting a play with some action. The delivery reminded me of a poetry slam with participants delivering lines in "poetry slam voice." Not what I expect in a play. Indeed. Much of the play is just actors reciting lines from the story (I assume). At first I thought the acting was bad, but it wasn't. The play was written poorly as the stories were written to be told and not acted. Frank Galati created mediocre play adapted from material that had the potential to make a really good play. I just wish he would have shown us the stories, rather than just having actors simply deliver narrative. read more

I saw the fascinating, brave new play by Sarah Ruhl, IN THE NEXT ROOM (the vibrator play) in previews, and loved it. It's so unusual, the division of the stage into two rooms, with the "room" of nature and winter hovering just outside and all around. It's as if Ruhl sits down with Chekhov and Shaw and Ibsen and says, "now, what's really going on just to the other side of this drawing room door?" This is a courageous, psychologically astute, tender, and ultimately shimmering play about sex, emotion, and love --- and the beauty of dissolving boundaries between those different "rooms" -- The display of 19th and early 20th century vibrators in the lobby adds a rich, comical, yet also quite poignant element; if you see the play, you'll know what I mean. read more

I attended a performance of "The Arabian Nights" this week. After seeing so many gushing reviews my expectations were high, and I am sad to say they were cruelly dashed. Writing: The writing, while effective at times, is absolutely baffling at others. I expected a level of humor from The Arabian Nights, but what began as a seemingly serious treatment devolved over the course of the first act into an all-out farce with such memorable lines as the one spoken in Ebonics in which a black actor's character refers to "my girlfriend Shaniqua." In addition, jokes lasted far too long, with actors trying to milk every last chuckle from the audience; at one point I had to check the program to see if I had accidentally wandered into a stage production of Family Guy. Most reviews have mentioned the "fart joke." It was bad, and not in the good 80's sense. The fart noise (made by the actors' mouths) lasts for two full minutes and is supposed to be funny but only succeeded in being embarassing and providing me plenty of time to consider, "I paid over $50 to sit here and listen to people make fart noises?" To sum up, I'd simply say the writer did not take the task seriously, which necessarily bleeds over to the direction and the acting. Direction: The play never finds a consistent tone. As fast as we find ourselves drawn into an intriguing or poignant moment, we are ripped from that moment by lame attempts at humor or apparent improvisations (usually also in a lame attempt at humor) which, as mentioned before, always seem to last too long. The director apparently gave no direction at all as to vocal aspects; actors use wildly different accents, and are at times mumbling, stammering (especially in the for-some-godforsaken-reason improvised sections) or speaking too quietly to hear. I have to question the wisdom of the director in including improvised segments at all. It is painful for the audience when the actor is clearly groping to come up with something to say. This is not Whose Line Is It Anyway; it's a professional theater production that people pay real money to see. Acting: The acting was frankly embarrassing for much of the first act, with performers sounding as if they were in a rehearsal reading their lines for the first time. Stilted and wooden are the adjectives that immediately come to mind. I will say that the performers seemed to warm up as the show progressed, and the energy level and focus increased through the first and second acts. Music: Music plays an important role here; it is well-written and sounds appropriate for an "Arabian Nights" production. The vocal performances are mostly adequate, though it was evident from a few cringe-inducing sung notes that the actors are not primarily musicians. The second act I found much more enjoyable than the first. While humor was present, it was at an appropriate lower-key level and lasted only for the space immediately surrounding the jokes, rather than taking over the entire performance as they did in the first act. But the merit of the shorter second act could not overcome the overpowering bad taste of the stinky first act. My recommendation: Avoid this play unless you think "brilliant" when you hear the words "Wayans Brothers movie." read more

It doesn't matter how good the productions are at this theater since the seats are so incredibly uncomfortable. It's almost impossible to sit for even an hour. Maybe it was just the particular seat I had, but I will not return to this theater until it's been remodeled. I ended up leaving at intermission because I couldn't stand the discomfort any longer. read more

Monsoon Wedding--we were SO disappointed. We did love the costumes. Otherwise, it was awful and we left at intermission. Terrible script, very stilted. read more

i went here to see 'No Man's Land' this past Sunday. beautiful courtyard. nice lobby. saw the show in the Roda Theatre. very intimate. very nice. seats needs some WD-40/white lithium grease action though. nice selection of beverages (both alcohol and non). i saw vast array of foods like cookies, cheese, etc. not much else to say. picking up tickets from will-call was a breeze and ALL the employees/volunteers are very friendly and helpful. they apparently validate parking for a specific garage nearby. and VERY nice bathrooms. very clean and well stocked. would come here again if they have another show that catches my interest. read more

We went here for the last day's showing of the American Idiot Musical. The place was nice and well run. The staff and volunteers were friendly and efficient at their work. We sat in the cheap seats and still had a good view of the show. read more

Went to see Argonautika. At first I thought it was going to be a bit of a "snooze." As the play progressed and my mind became engaged with the production values, my butt became more and more numb by the most uncomfortable theater seats ever. I mean, there is no need to pack people in so tight. I though I was back on a Continental Airlines flight or something. The lovebirds next to me decided it was time for a little crotch grabbing and licky face and we were so close I was virtually a participant. The play was terrific but jesus they could improve the comfort level. It's hard to be cultured when your legs are cramping and your butt is numb. The crowd is what I call "black-tie fanny-pack." read more

I have never been disappointed with a performance at Berkeley Rep. They never stop exceeding my expectations. I have seen Yellow Jackets, American Idiot and The Wild Bride, all of which were completely different and equally captivating and inspiring. The level of acting and production quality never wavers at Berkeley Rep. I will most definitely be back to see another show. read more

After many years of buying subscriptions to the rep, we will no longer be doing so. Over the years we've had our issues with them, including being seated close to the stage for a performance about a painter and being splashed with red paint all over our nice clothes. We left the performance to try to get out the paint. When we told the house manager what had happened she did not handle the situation well at all. She did not offer to pay for dry cleaning, would not let us back into the show, and didn't want to give us tickets to another show. After several calls I was finally able to get replacement tickets, but that's it! Some of their ushers think they are cops. They've been rude on several occasions to us or our guests. Don't even think about showing up a few minutes late-they won't seat you until intermission, and if there is no intermission you're out of luck. This is ridiculous considering how difficult parking can be around there. Tonight we have tickets to a popular show that has been extended. Unfortunately I caught a virus and can't go. I email-cancelled before 7 pm the day before the show. Subscribers are supposed to be able to get a free ticket exchange. Today I got an email from them saying that we can only exchange into the same show which ends in a few days (I had tried to exchange to another show). I explained I'm sick so that wouldn't be possible and was told "that's our policy; feel free to give your tickets away." I replied that their policy has no valid reason and that it encourages people to show up there sick to avoid losing their tickets. Even after I said we would no longer subscribe, they upheld their stupid policy. So, no more subscribing for us. Their shows have been subpar anyway for the past couple of years, so no great loss. We'll subscribe to Marin Theatre Company instead next year. They have had better plays, better policies and easier parking. Advice to BR: treat your subscribers better! Charge a nominal change fee if necessary and allow people to exchange into other shows! read more

I love everything about Berkeley Rep, their shows are really high quality, they go out on a limb to try new things, and everyone that works there is really dedicated to their work. This theatre is one of the essential parts of the acclaimed Bay Area Theatre Scene. read more

Play/acting/sets are great. Ticket agents are kind of douchey...

I have been a subscriber to Berkeley Rep off and on for a few years. The company has a great reputation, but with a full subscription I have found the plays to be a mix of Hit and Miss. This play is an absolute Hit. Wonderful music, voices, choreography, set design. All the actresses are young, fresh and very talented. I really thought the hour and a half went very quickly and I hated to see it end. I think the vignettes were perfect, however, and got a very important message across without beating it to death. Funny, serious, thought-provoking, and sooooo real! read more

Consistently good shows. I just saw White Snake and unlike many of the sparse sets / heavy emotional content I've seen there, this was a light-hearted play with an absolutely gorgeous set. Clever mix of the abstract and the real - such as blue cloth for rain. Really enjoyed the evening. read more

I t was my first time at this theatre and I loved it. I will definetly go back. I thought the energy was fabulous and that the performers were exceptional. However, I was disappointed. I think for such a hot topic it was somewhat shallow and not done as well as it could have been. I guess I read such fabulous reviews and was a bit disappointed. American idiot is a good concept but its execution was lacking. And puttiing junkies and American soldiers in the same class of American Idiots was very upsetting to me. read more

Rita Moreno "play" complete waste of time and money. I was very disappointed. Her stories about elvis and marlon elicited no emotion, beyond audience members oohing and aahing at the mention of their names. I was uninterested at best, and the self laudatory descent into pure schmaltz was unimpressive. Her depression, and sadness seemed false and perhaps that's a sign of the paucity of her acting chops, cant say, other than what happened to my $130.00? read more

Been going for 30 or so years, well before their great new buildings. Very nice theatres, nice people. Probably best venue in the area, but that is because there's not much competition, since ACT went to reruns and amazingly dull offerings. They get some good pieces but the selection veers too often to pretentious nothingness (ZImmerman, recent nutcase Pericles) so the quality is often not there, sometime like high school pretense, masquerading as "highbrow". They do show their provincialism and lack of depth in these, but more than half of their performance are worth it. read more

When it comes to quality local productions, Berkeley Rep is one of the finest! I know I'm always going to get a top notch performance, and I've sent friends to their productions because I trust them to backup my raves. Their subscriber benefits are awesome too! read more

the sound is horrible. sat in the top row in the balcony and could not hear a word. yes, i know there are sound amplifiers, but you have to get them before a performance starts so what good does it do once it's begun? i'm thinking of canceling my subscription read more

Plays often very good but terrible atmosphere. I was a subscriber for many years and really enjoyed the Mary Zimmerman productions. However the last show I went to, Red Hot Patriot was cheesy and if that wasn't bad enough, I had a Molly Ivans fan in the row behind me shouting out comments throughout the entire production. There was no intermission and I was at the end of the aisle so I couldn't get out. So I had to endure this horrible sideshow and I am just furious, especially given how expensive my tickets were. I don't understand why the ushers aren't on alert for obnoxious attendees. I'm sure everyone in the area could hear this boob and no one did anything! read more

Berkeley Rep this past season has skipped its penchant for taking classics and making them into a longer evening than the author intended. So compliments, the fidgets stayed away this year. I dreaded seeing "The Miser" and found myself enthralled. Tickets often at the half-priced booth and Goldstar. read more

I love this place. Not only do they treat their patrons well, they also treat their employees well.

Berkeley Rep's work is consistently well-executed and frequently daring. The Rep is brave enough to stage unusual plays that you wouldn't see at every other boring regional theater. I don't love every play I see there, but I'm always impressed with their technical and artistic prowess. Definitely worth a visit. read more

From the reviews, I guess I may be the only one that didn't find The Wild Bride a wonderful experience. I found the humor juvenile, the storyline vapid, the talent adequate but not outstanding and the whole experience less than uplifting or entertaining. Perhaps I was expecting more since it received such glowing reviews but the whole thing left me sort of cold. Definitely disappointing. Sorry to be the lone ranger on this. read more

I am a long time subscriber to Berkeley Rep. but their current play is a stinker. I walked out at intermission. Save your money or go to the Aurora for Body Awareness which was a hoot. read more

Have been to a reasonably good production here in the past. But recently saw "Doctor in Spite of Himself". OK, I admit I'm probably not sophisticated enough to "get" the point. We love Moliere, but he must have been somewhere else on Saturday night. Instead, the relentlessly low and ultimately predictable "humor" took me back to the 5th grade, and not in a good way. We kept waiting for something... good. But it never showed up on stage. As my wife and I left before the half hour mark, another patron that we were stepping over whispered "good decision". Amen. Bye Bye $130. read more

I am a theatre artist and lover. I was working in theatre in NYC and was afraid that moving to San Francisco would mean lowering my expectations of the theatre. Well not true at Berkeley Rep! They are by far the most interesting, professional, and all around impressive theatre in the bay. read more

The Iliad.....phenomenal. The interaction of the bassist and the actor is excellent!

Berkeley Rep has a treat for all of us who are lucky enough to see George Gershwin Alone! I laughed, I cried, I sang along in my heart, and then the whole audience was encouraged to sing TOGETHER! It was magnificent--a true JOY!! I hope everyone gets a chance to see it!! read more

We love Berkeley Rep. Unfortunately, the play we saw last night, Red Hot Patriot, was very disappointing. The script was just so-so, and I expected more from Kathleen Turner. For $79, it was a truly forgettable evening. Sorry Berkeley Rep. read more

There are few shows in which you spend 2 hours in gut-tickling laughter, but One Man, Two Guvnors now playing at Berkeley Repertory Theatre is one of them! David Ivers, directing from Utah Shakespeare Theatre, is a man of many talents and he is bringing down the house in Berkeley! Don Donahue is brilliant in his physical comedy and improv remarks with the audience. read more

We've had season tickets for several years, and each year, we've loved a couple, thought a couple mediocre, and a couple somewhat painful. Must admit our standards are NYC and Philadelphia theater; perhaps that explains why we've been disappointed. However, last night we were absolutely delighted with "One Man, Two Guvnors"; incredibly well done! If all Berkeley Rep plays were as good as that one, our review would be a 5+!! But from here on in, we'll probably limit ourselves to the exceptional productions.. read more

Aubergine is one of the most amazing theatre I have ever been privileged to see - Usually criticaI could find no flaws -content, actors, sets, lighting, sound [of course] direction. Everyone should see it at least once. read more

Treasure Island was horrid. Incomprehensible fake English accents except for the Jim Hawkins character, who inexplicably had an incomprehensible fake Irish accept. read more

Ghost Light is an amazing play and beautifully performed. For those too young to remember the assasinations of Moscone/Milk, it is not just a historical review, but an emotionally charged window into family relationships. And we all start with big feelings about that. Of course, when one is 14, it isn't possible to unequivocally adore one's parents, but losing your dad is so unconsidered and life-altering that the impact rings down the halls of your life ever after. If you remember that day in November 1978 in the Bay Area, you may discover that you are still dealing with the emotional facts yourself, as I did. I recommend it for everyone! read more

I don't like slapstick. I am not a fan of physical humor. If I see the words "harebrained" or "madcap", I usually run for the hills. Call me a buzz kill, but fart jokes just aren't funny to me. Needless to say, I anticipated the worst with the Berkeley Rep's production of Molière's A Doctor in Spite of Himself. Sure, I can empathize with commedia dell'arte's populist appeal but I was unsure whether this tale of a dunce masquerading as a doctor would really appeal to me. Ten minutes into the play, I was certain it did not. I was not encouraged by the opening scene where the main character Sganarelle-a terrific Steven Epp-bickers with his heavy-chested wife Martine. In this initial scene, Martine performs all sorts of acrobatic feats with her gigantic mammaries (jumping up and down/swinging them around in circles). Although a minor part of the first scene, I nevertheless had to slap the back of my head to stop my eyes from rolling back. With that said, the scene was bolstered by the presence of an artfully-utilized outhouse/puppet theater that set the scene for plays on perspective and plays on plays (on plays). The scene also benefitted from an insertion of an Abba-esque dance routine that injected contemporary humor and lightness into a stereotypically bawdy comedic routine. Little by little, the play lured me in. It may have started with Molière's version of Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Lucas and Valère-a phenomenal Jacob Ming-Trent. They are searching for a doctor who can cure the wealthy Geronte's daughter Lucinde, who unbeknownst to Geronte, is feigning dumbness so she will not be forced to marry her father's favored suitor-her heart belongs to Léandre. Sganarelle's wife, in an act of revenge, convinces Valère and Lucas to find her husband in the forest ("wacking his wood"-ugh). She tells them that he is a gifted doctor but will not admit to it unless he is beaten by them. (read more at berkeleyoutlookDOTcom) read more