Review: “The Cook” in Berkeley

by Barry Willis * Decades of Cuba’s revolution unfold in the microcosm of an elaborate kitchen in a stately old home in Eduardo Machado’s The Cook, at Berkeley Rep’s Peet’s Theatre through October 11. The perfect focal point for the venue’s steeply-raked three-sided seating, Tanya Orellana’s huge stunning set exquisitely captures the decadence of old…

Review: “Repossessed” in Berkeley

by Harry Duke * Fans of Paul Verhoeven’s 1990 sci-fi thriller Total Recall (starring Arnold Schwarzenegger) or, for the real cinephile, John Frankenheimer’s underrated 1966 sci-fi thriller Seconds (starring Rock Hudson, of all people) looking for something in the same vein would do well to seek out a production of Bay Area playwright Greg Lam’s…

Review: “All My Sons” in Berkeley

by Barry Willis * A week has passed since the press opener of Berkeley Rep’s revamp of Arthur Miller’s enduring family drama All My Sons. Presumably some of the hysteria around this production has faded a bit, but during opening week there was plenty of it among the critical community. “Transcendent,” “revelatory,” and “a magnum…