Astonishing Revelation — Antaeus Company's 'The Crucible' (Putnam Cast)

The Anateus Company, recently voted one of LA's best 99-seat theaters, proves itself with an intense production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Adroitly though not flawlessly directed by Armin Shimerman and Geoffrey Wade, the stellar ("Putnam"*) cast creates a visceral, in-yo-face version of Miller's enduring classic.

For Darkness' Sake — Theatre 68's 'Crumble'

Anchored by impressive technical design, Shelly Callaghan's surreal play Crumble (Lay Me Down Justin Timberlake) once again arises to disturbing life at Los Angeles' 68 Cent Crew Theatre Company. Like a meth-addled nightmare, Crumble shows the worst of what grief can do to an already dysfunctional family. Callaghan's is a world where the only (temporary) solace comes from pop icons crawling out of the walls. Where a failed murder-suicide attempt on Christmas morning actually mends the torn familial bonds. Find that absurd? non sequitur? contradictory to reality? Good, that's the point: to leave the audience haunted, uncomfortable, embroiled in darkness for no discernible reason. Théâtre de la Cruauté at its best.