A brief history of eyeglasses
Guest post by Jessica Oaks. Eyeglasses are really a rather brilliant stroke of ingenuity, if you think about it. Yes, people who wear eyeglasses every…
Culture
Explore San Francisco and Bay Area culture through theater reviews, film, contemporary art, and creative events. Featuring original artwork by Loni Stark, film reviews by Jeanne Powell, and insights by ATCA member Clinton Stark.
San Francisco Opera to honor general director David Gockley with gala
His remarkable 45-year career comes to an end next month. But not without an operatic bang. For David Gockley it seems like a most fitting…
The Neon Demon: Critic wants to ban Nicolas Winding Refn’s film, protect England from “depravity”
Long live the Queen! But apparently not auteur Nicolas Winding Refn. Look, no question there’s a litany of reasons why we should collectively Ban the…
Bone-chilling Fast: ‘The Velocity of Autumn’
Playwright Eric Coble loves his characters, and lavishes them both with one-liners that ring so true they occasionally raised a gasp of recognition from the…
Must-See Theater: ‘Chester Bailey’ is best world premiere in recent memory (Review)
“This is why you see live theater. It sticks with you, haunting, and beautiful. At its best, it shines an inspiring, if not at times…
Carmen without the romance at San Francisco Opera
Sex and violence dominate Calixto Bieito's Carmen, which paints a gritty, unidealized picture of poverty and abuse.
Not Quite Aloft: ‘For Peter Pan on her 70th Birthday’ (Berkeley Rep)
The magic in this play is all in that fantastical morphing, which shimmers in its quiet way, infusing the play with lightness and warmth. The…
Elect to Laugh 2016: Again and again
Quick to connect with the audience, Will Durst alternates knowing insults and ego stokes, always taking the audience’s pulse.
Deep thoughts with ‘Neon Demon’ director Nicolas Winding Refn
Ah Refn. Does this guy know how to rattle chains or what? Director Nicolas Winding Refn’s (NWR!) latest film The Neon Demon was all the buzz…
Romantic comedy ‘Maggie’s Plan’ a surprise highlight at SFIFF (Review)
A surprise highlight of the 59th San Francisco International Film Festival, Maggie’s Plan provides an intriguing take on romantic comedies. Single and hearing her biological…