‘The Death of Robin Hood’ Revises The Legend in a Dark and Dull Way

‘The Death of Robin Hood’ Revises The Legend in a Dark and Dull Way

By Lynn Venhaus
Dark, dour and dreary, “The Death of Robin Hood” is a revisionist take on the legendary folk hero without any merry men or noble derring-do – or much of a pulse.

After a chaotic life of crime and murder, a battle-scarred and weather-beaten Robin Hood (Hugh Jackman) is roaming the austere heaths of medieval England. The year is 1247, and he’s not seeking redemption nor reconciling his past — yet. He announces: “I’m tired.”

Writer-director Michael Sarnoski has adapted a 17th century ballad, “Robin Hood’s Death,” to bust the myth about the outlaw that the common man cheered for, “stealing from the rich and giving it to the poor.”

Presenting himself as “no hero,” Robin grapples with being a heartless bandit and not a good guy glorified in folklore. He doesn’t have an altruistic bone in his broken body, and he is irked about the romanticized version because he can’t live up to expectations nor does he want to try.

Along the way, he encounters people affected by his slicing and dicing: Arthur (Noah Jupe), a young man seeking revenge for his slain family; his longtime friend Little John (Bill Skarsgard), now a family man calling himself Edward, who wants Robin’s help in a vicious attack; and little Margaret (Faith Delaney), a traumatized orphan who latches on to him.

Grizzly and growling, Jackman’s sullen Robin is without aspirations. While enacting vengeance at Little John’s coaxing, Robin is gravely injured. He wakes up in the Priory of St. Clement, being nursed by Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer), an angel of mercy, calls himself Randolf.

Forget every screen incarnation, from silent swashbuckler Douglas Fairbanks in 1922 to Taron Egerton as a gritty Robin of Loxley in 2018, with Errol Flynn, Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe, Cary Elwes, Disney animation and even Frank Sinatra as “Robbo” in a Rat Pack musical comedy in between.

While Tony Award winner and Oscar nominee Hugh Jackman has carried big-themed films before, playing an introspective elder confronting his ghosts is quite a departure from the superhero Wolverine and musical icons Jean Valjean, P.T. Barnum and Neil Diamond that he’s known for, although one can point to “Logan” for another tough-guy reflecting on his mortality.

Emmy and Tony Award winner Jodie Comer lends a quiet strength to Sister Brigid, a kind, caring woman who believes in the good, and devotes her life to the afflicted and orphans.

Sarnoski employs such a top shelf cast that you want to care about their characters, but drawn only as sketchy outlines, it’s difficult to be convinced of this slow story’s merit.

Heralded for his outstanding debut feature, “Pig” in 2021, Sarnoski followed with a fine studio blockbuster, “A Quiet Place: Day One,” in 2024. Now he is poised to be one of A24’s arthouse darlings.

In his grim re-imagining, Sarnoski focuses on moody misty landscapes, terse dialogue and shocking violence. His reinvention is in the same vein as David Lowery’s “The Green Knight” and Robert Eggers’ “The Northman.”

The austere elements are visually interesting– cinematographer Pat Scola and production designer David Lee captured the harsh Northern Ireland landscape, contrasting it with the safe space of the monastery. But Sarnoski’s philosophical approach is one-note, that somber ambience soaking this plodding adventure.

A distinctive element is the mournful score composed by Tony Lewis and folk singer Jim Ghedi that is haunting throughout the film’s 122 minutes.

Sarnoski has decided that backstories are not necessary, so there’s no evidence of a kinder, gentler swashbuckler hardened by his brutality. No mention of the Crusades or Sherwood Forest, or the cruel corrupt monarchy (Prince John and his henchman Sheriff of Nottingham and Sir Guy of Gisbourne) that spurred the Robin Hood saga in the Middle Ages.

Supporting players arrive, merely trying to survive the harsh conditions. This is mud, blood, slings and arrows – an eye for an eye.

At the monastery, one of the castoffs is a compassionate bandaged leper played by Murray Bartlett, Emmy winner as resort manager Armond in the first season of “White Lotus.” He dispenses hard-fought wisdom and seems to pierce Robin’s impenetrable demeanor, as does Sister Brigid and young Margaret.

The leper encourages Robin to let go of his violent past and become part of the sanctuary community. But is he too late for salvation? In theory, this moral dilemma sounds interesting, but its subdued execution makes this film tough to embrace. And the hushed, mumbling delivery of all characters, with dialects, makes understanding the exposition even harder.

Sadly, “The Death of Robin Hood” is more a desolate dirge than a profound philosophical statement.

“The Death of Robin Hood” is a 2026 action-drama written and directed by Michael Sarnoski and starring Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgard, Murray Bartlett, Noah Jupe and Faith Delaney. It is rated R for strong bloody violence and the runtime is 2 hours, 3 minutes. It opens in theatres June 19. Lynn’s Grade: C-

Wackiness Ensues in Stray Dog’s Broad Farce ‘3 Sheets to the Wind’

Wackiness Ensues in Stray Dog’s Broad Farce ‘3 Sheets to the Wind’

By Lynn Venhaus

They say write what you know, and Gary F. Bell and Robert L. White, former roommates in New York City, have done just that.

They have collaborated on an original broad farce, “3 Sheets to the Wind,” which is about throwing different personalities together in a cramped three-bedroom apartment in New York City.

What happens when three ex-lovers converge in the same space, where neighbors and an out-of-town theater troupe breeze in and out? Wackiness ensues. It’s a familiar plot device not unlike popular sitcoms “The Odd Couple,” “Three’s Company” and “Will & Grace.”

Bell, founder and artistic director of Stray Dog Theatre in 2003, has built a loyal following at the intimate Tower Grove Abbey, producing a season of comedies, dramas and musicals. He and White premiered another collaboration in 2015, an original musical “Spellbound! A Musical Fable.”

Joe Garner, Brady Stiff, Sarah Polizzi, Zack Huels and Jeffrey M. Wright. Stray Dog Theatre photo.

Long a fan of the camp style of playwright and drag queen legend Charles Busch, Bell has directed with great verve the wildly popular “Red Scare on Sunset,” “Psycho Beach Party” and “Vampire Lesbians of Sodom.”

Favoring that type of template, Bell and White blend melodrama with parodies of soap operas and Broadway musicals for this show, sprinkling witty pop culture references – especially clever theater ones – into the dialogue.

But what started out as an interesting premise dissolve into a messy story with too many over-the-top characters that have either too little to do or are entangled in nonsense, so they pull focus away from an already flimsy story.

Sadly, as good as these performers are on paper, the roles are a mixed bag of either over or under-written cartoonish characters that fail to sustain interest through two acts with an overlong runtime of 2 hours, 40 minutes with a 10-minute intermission.

The more may not be merrier in ‘3 Sheets to the Wind.” Stray Dog Theatre photo.

The 9-member cast, a hefty blend of remarkably talented local theater artists, some with St. Louis Theater Circle nominations and wins to their credit, are not having their finest hour, even though they appear to be giving each part their all as consummate professionals.

Improv master Joe Garner, as struggling writer Oliver Morton, and versatile Jeffrey M. Wright, as television therapist Aaron Addison, for lack of a better word, are playing the ‘straight’ guys in this oddball circus. They’re the only ones whose characters seem bland, their wild pajamas notwithstanding.

Aaron plans to move back in with Oliver, as platonic roommates, to help with Oliver’s dire financial straits. Wright, now a reality TV personality, tells Oliver that he and his partner are on the rocks.

Enter the goofy, very theatrical Danny Winslow, embodied by the nimble comic actor Mike Wells, who’s fast-talking spiel is a cross between Harold Hill in “The Music Man” and the con artists in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.”

Wright, Mike Wells, Garner. Stray Dog Theatre photo.

He arrives needing a place to stay, because he’s brought good news with him. Once a couple, the pair collaborated on a high-concept musical, which flopped, leaving Oliver in massive debt (and very angry). Lo and behold, Danny announces that a wealthy benefactor wants to remount the show in Guam and Yap, part of Micronesia in the Western Pacific.

But Danny is not alone — he has three actors in tow: a flamboyant diva and two young very fit dancers. Danny’s raring to revise their songs with Oliver, as the clock is ticking.

But more may not be merrier. Larina Delagostino (Sarah Polizzi) is an unfiltered prima donna without any boundaries who specializes in treating everyone like servants, drinking too much, yammering about her life in the theater, and dipping in not-safe-for-work territory.

That type of exaggerated role is Polizzi’s forte, but the character is so off-putting and rambling that she can’t muster any sympathy, and her affectations are a cross between Norma Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard” and a Southern belle, sporting an ill-fitting red wig. Larina is soon wearing out her welcome, not to mention the cringy bathroom humor at her expense.

Oliver with his neighbors Maddie and Cal O’Connor (Sarajane Clark and Jason Meyers. Stray Dog Theatre photo)

Oliver’s busybody and TMI neighbors, Maddie and Cal O’Connor (Sarajane Clark and Jason Meyers), stop by, either for cocktails or to dish, as Maddie is fond of telling everyone else what they should do. The two young guys trying to make sense of all the chaos are Zack Huels as Abe Feldman and Brady Stiff as Jake Hershman.

Wells, clad in outlandish outfits designed by Colleen Michelson, incorporates physicality as this silly trickster, an extreme sidekick in the mold of Cosmo Kramer. But he is dead serious about one thing – Danny recommends the playwrights ‘kill their darlings.’ He encourages Oliver to nip and tuck, and that’s good advice for the play itself.

Rob Lippert’s set design includes multiple doors, a la “Lend Me a Tenor” and “Noises Off!”, for comedic purposes. Tyler Duenow took care of the lighting design. As usual, sound designer Justin Been selected peppy and upbeat musical transitions including TV theme songs.

Wells, Garner, Polizzi, Wright. Stray Dog Theatre Photo.

For “3 Sheets to the Wind” to work, the well-intentioned playwrights need to tighten the rambling story, for when Liz Michel shows up as Russian-accented emissary Zolda (think Natasha of “Rocky and Bullwinkle”) near the two and a half hour mark, it goes off the rails.

Suddenly, we have spies, a dictator who’s madly in love with Larina, and a charade about why the show is going overseas, all told in a very long-drawn-out monologue. Shades of the Cold War? Isn’t Guam a U.S. territory? What am I missing? By this point, connecting the dots has become confusing, and the sound isn’t helping these dialogue-heavy sequences, especially with accents in play.

In this case, less would be far more appealing. Snip some tangents and characters for a less bumpy dynamic and inject more likability to connect with the audience.

Stray Dog Theatre photo.

Besides the shenanigans going on, the play takes place in the present-day, in August and September, when NYC is experiencing a heat wave. Is that weather factor necessary?

Old partners working again on a show after much time apart, when old resentments surface and new acquaintances appear, would be a terrific starting point going back to workshop.

Stray Dog Theatre presents “3 Sheets to the Wind” from June 4 through 20 at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Avenue, St. Louis. Performance dates are Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinee performances at 2 p.m. on June 7 and 14. For more information, visit www.straydogtheatre.org

Ebullient Cast Uplifts Stages’ Buzzy ’25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’

Ebullient Cast Uplifts Stages’ Buzzy ’25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’

By Lynn Venhaus

A personality-powered gem, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is a rambunctious musical comedy that celebrates American meritocracy, eccentric nerds and freak flag waving.

Produced with extra oomph by Stages St. Louis, a sagaciously cast sextet has nimbly mastered wordplay and improvisations in this offbeat musical that’s as accessible to logophiles as it is to class clowns.

Inside a typical middle school gymnasium, dweeby sixth graders compete for a $200 savings bond, a shot at the national bee, and a towering trophy.

All triple threats, this enthusiastic cast has got game – showing heart, humor and humanity. The boys are Michael Schimmele as returning champ Charlito “Chip” Tolentino, who is struggling with puberty; Matthew Cox as Leaf Coneybear, the wide-eyed home-schooled son of hippies; and Bryce A. Miller as showboating misfit William Morris Barfee.

The Spellers are ready to rock. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

A running gag is the constant mispronunciation of Bar-Fay, because of an accent aigu, and not Bar-Fee.

The girls are Abigail Isom as high-strung Logainne SchwartzandGrubenierre, a positive political activist pushed by her two dads to be best; Alexis Kinney as exuberant wordsmith Olive Ostrosky, whose mom is in India and dad is always working; and Sarah Wilkinson as pedantic Marcy Park, an over-achieving transfer student.

The annual event is a big deal in the town, with three adults in charge – ‘comfort counselor’ Mitch Mahoney (Omega Jones), an ex-con who gives the eliminated contestants a juice box and a hug; former champ and returning moderator Rona Lisa Peretti (Jennifer Theby-Quinn), a successful realtor who enjoys reliving her glory days; and Vice Principal Douglas Panch (Christopher Hickey), who has returned as a judge after personal time off to work out some ‘things.’

Their innuendos and double entendres elicit laughs – and the show’s mature content is aimed for a PG-13 audience.

Christopher Hickey as vice-principal. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

The catchy music and lyrics by William Finn, of “Falsettos” and “A New Brain,” give each character their moment to shine and explain their character’s drive or idiosyncrasies.

Their signature songs are Leaf: “I’m Not That Smart.” Olive: “My Friend, The Dictionary.” Marcy: “I Speak Six Languages.” Logainne: “Woe Is Me” and Chip: “Chip’s Lament.”

The coming-of-age stories about their home lives are poignantly delivered, and they perform the funny parts with gusto. The spellers have crafted realistic kids – not to mock but to enjoy their characteristics and identify with their emotions, and you root for them to stay golden.

Barfee, unfortunately hampered by one working nostril, has a peculiar way of spelling out the words – with his “Magic Foot.” (Fun fact: Dan Fogler, of “Fantastic Beasts,” won a Tony Award for originating the role).

Sarah Wilkinson as Marcy Park. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

The convivial show, workshopped into an off-Broadway hit, transferred to Broadway in 2005 – and was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two (book by Rachel Sheinkin, featured actor). It was originally conceived by Rebecca Feldman and based upon “C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E,” a play by her improv collective, The Farm. Additional material was supplied by Jay Reiss.

The fluid script allows producing companies to insert topical and local references. It also includes audience participation, and patrons can fill out a slip in the lobby before the show.

Four names are drawn backstage, so no one is tipped off in advance, and they join the spellers to take their turn at the microphone. All good sports, this is a key element to the fun, producing good-natured laughter from the audience. No special treatment – they might get to spell “Cow” or a consonant heavy four-syllable word.

The crowd’s perspicacity was evident on opening night June 3 and embraced the experience. The ingenious construction keeps it fresh, and that spontaneity is appealing.

Abigail Isom, Bryce A. Miller and Alexis Kinney. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

Detail-oriented co-directors Ron Gibbs and Gayle Seay also co-choreographed the show, achieving a terrific level of energy. The upbeat title song introduces the characters, and “The Spelling Rules” brings out their quirks and “Pandemonium” is just that.

In stand-out moments, dynamic Wilkinson showcases her gymnastic skills in her peppy number “I Speak Six Languages” and her prayer for change, “Jesus,” while gifted comic actors Miller and Kinney display charming chemistry leading up to and including their duet “Second.”

Another highlight is the tender ballad “The I Love You Song” that heart-tugging Kinney sings with her parents – as the absentee mom, Jennifer Theby-Quinn’s strong mezzo-soprano is in lovely harmony with workaholic dad Omega Jones’s warm vocals.

As Rona, Theby-Quinn confidently commands the stage in “My Favorite Moment of the Bee,” and in two reprises. As Mitch, Jones demonstrates expressive vocals in “The Prayer of the Comfort Counselor” and in “Woe Is Me” reprise with the vivacious Isom.

Michael Schimmele as Chip. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

And Schimmele is a trouper with his sudden onset of a puberty issue, and feigning discomfort in his public humiliation. If you know, you know. (Refer to mature rating).

The junior high vibes are boosted by scenic designer Rachel Seabaugh’s school gymnasium set that is a nifty flashback to every community event ever, with sly nods to the civic organizations and school sports teams that are delightful to notice.

Lighting Designer Sean M. Savoie’s expertise is apparent in the harsh gym glare, which shifts to the warm intimate interaction moments. Sound designer Hankyu Lee’s work is remarkably crisp, without any dead spots in the KPAC’s Ross Family Theatre.

Costume Designer Cat Lovejoy has jauntily defined every character through their distinct outfits, and the addition of a makeshift cape and roller-sneakers for Leaf Coneybear is inspired. Cox gives his movements extra flair with those accessories.

Matthew Cox as the free-spirited Leaf Coneybear. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

Music Director Michael Kaish smoothly kept the tempo on track, and is on one keyboard, joined by Randon Lane on a second keyboard, Lea Gerdes on reeds, Marcia Erwin on cello and Jonathan M. Taylor on percussion.

The Bee is a buzzy, playful communal experience, one that celebrates smart kids without any stigma – a proud revenge of the nerds, and the relatable rituals of youth. To be a part of the glee expressed by cast and crowd alike will lift spirits of any age.

Note: Understudies include Julie Hanson, Lillie Self-Miller, Bradford Rolen and Connor Kelly-Wright.

Stages St. Louis presents the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” through June 28. Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, 210 E. Monroe Ave. For more information: stagesstlouis.org.

Jennifer Theby-Quinn as Rona, with Omega Jones as Mitch in background. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

Dense ‘Disclosure Day’ Has Big Ideas but Fails to Spark Much Wonder

Dense ‘Disclosure Day’ Has Big Ideas but Fails to Spark Much Wonder

By Lynn Venhaus

Earthlings, we may not be alone. If you believe that aliens have visited our planet, “Disclosure Day” reinforces that opinion. Just don’t expect the big-ideas film to effectively connect dots or spark much wonder.

Unlike director Steven Spielberg’s superior supernatural sci-fi thrillers, the classics “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” this mostly incoherent and inconsistent ramble fails to pull heartstrings and mutes the director’s trademark shock and awe.

Spielberg front-loads the action with shadowy figures at breakneck speed, when whistleblower Dr. Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor), rescues his girlfriend Jane (Eve Hewson) from black-clad goons working for the Wardex Corporation.

As part of a rogue movement led by virtuous Hugo (Colman Domingo), Kellner has absconded with archival film footage of aliens here since the ‘alleged’ UFO crash in Roswell, N.M. in 1947. They plan to tell the world at the same time, but Wardex is in cahoots with the government to make sure the evidence remains top secret.

Josh O’Connor plays a cybersecurity expert on the run in “Disclosure Day.”

The chase is on, from farmhouses to backroad motels, and even a convent. Colin Firth is the stony but dapper villain Noah Scanlon, who doesn’t think the world can handle the truth and gets doomsday vibes.

This heartless honcho hell-bent on covering up can manipulate space and time, and is in possession of some alien teleporter gizmo, not without side effects (or explanations).

Meanwhile, Emily Blunt is Margaret Fairchild, an ambitious meteorologist who lives with her musician boyfriend Jackson (Wyatt Russell) in Kansas City. One morning, a red-feathered Cardinal flies into their spacious loft, stares her down, and afterwards, she can speak foreign languages and telepathically knows what is happening in people’s hearts and minds.

Whoa. That is a gamechanger, and she and Daniel are destined to team up. They share an inexplicable psychic bond, similar childhood memories, and keep running.

Emily Blunt is a meteorologist in Kansas City.

O’Connor’s Daniel is a man of many secrets, and his girlfriend has a few too, but backstories are slim – and Firth’s stony villain only glowers, glares and inflicts pain. While this cast of heavy hitters is appealing, no one stands out besides Blunt. It’s one of her best performances.

After 2 hours and 25 minutes of clunky detours, screenwriter David Koepp’s dense mystery, from a story by Spielberg, mercifully wraps up in an iconic yet implausible Spielbergian way. But lacks a wow factor, to leave us wanting more.

This brainiac blockbuster ultimately fumbles because it has too many elements to process. Koepp, one of the most successful screenwriters in the modern era (“Jurassic Park,” and last year’s taut thriller “Blackbag”) has missed before – “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” among them.

The search for intelligent life in the universe is a staple of pop culture sci-fi, and “The X-Files” kept us riveted for years. In recent years, government agencies have posted records on UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena), no longer referred to as UFOs, to identify mysterious events in the sky. There is that reality check.

Colman Domingo, Tommy Martinez, Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor are part of an all-star cast.

It’s easy to be dazzled by the dream team cast and the elite artisans who worked on creating a spectacle – Janusz Kaminski’s camerawork is impeccable, and so are Adam Stockhausen’s production designs. A nail-biting car-train collision is shades of Indiana Jones in his prime, but fleeting moments do not make a movie.

For his 30th feature film collaboration with Spielberg, John Williams composed a subtler, more minimalist score rather than his familiar grand sweeping melodies.

Arguably among the Mount Rushmore of directors, Spielberg’s best films extol ordinary people in extraordinary situations. But he doesn’t always reach the stars (“The BFG,” “Ready Player One,” “1941.”)  Here, the all-important heart-tugging beats are missing.

Are we seeing anything fresh, or just a fictional rehash of myths and weaponizing misinformation? The truth is out there, but will we ever know it?

Big action scene in a very long chase movie..

And why would belief in other life forms be a dealbreaker for your faith? And why do aliens only visit America? Too many questions and not enough answers, but then again, I tend to overthink science fiction plots.

For those expecting Spielberg magic, the highly anticipated “Disclosure Day” is a letdown.

“Disclosure Day” is a 2026 supernatural sci-fi thriller directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Josh O’Connor, Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, Colman Domingo, Eve Hewson and Wyatt Russell. It is rated PG-13 for action/violence, some bloody images and strong language and the runtime is 2 hours, 25 minutes. It opens in theatres June 12. Lynn’s Grade: C.

The telltale crop circles.

Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas Strike a Chord in Carney’s Kicky ‘Power Ballad’

Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas Strike a Chord in Carney’s Kicky ‘Power Ballad’

By Lynn Venhaus

What happens when a long-dormant dream resurfaces in your life, and it’s within your reach, only to have cruel fates snatch it away?

Ah, the twists of fate. And when dueling singers Rick and Danny are played by effortlessly charming Paul Rudd and charismatic Nick Jonas in the John Carney Musical Universe, the result is a shaggy look at ambition, what matters in life and how music connects us.

After 20 years of modern musical movies, writer-director John Carney returns with another uplifting journey of self-discovery that has many fine emotional beats, moving us with natural conflicts that veer into farcical territory.

Maybe the two tones don’t always mix well together, but this clever story, co-written with Peter McDonald, who also appears as Rick’s lovably quirky bandmate Sandy, has a sincere beating heart that tackles contemporary music business issues.

Wedding bandmates in The Bride & Groove.

The middle-age bandmates in Ireland’s grooviest wedding band, “The Bride & Groove,” get everyone up on the dance floor with the pop hits of the ‘80s and ‘90s, but there is a restlessness to lead singer Rick.

When a wedding guest is former boy-band member Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), he’s invited to join the band onstage, and he and Rick hit it off singing Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish.”

Keeping that spark between them, collaboration ensues during their own after-party, where they play music and drink into the wee hours of the morning. They share dreams, their creative processes, what drives them and more.

You feel their connection, so when things don’t later end on a high note, it becomes a series of unfortunate incidents that put the pair on very different trajectories.

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd jam.

Once back in L.A., Danny’s solo songs aren’t grabbing his record label, and manager Mac (Carney regular Jack Reynor) gives him the tough talk about falling down the relevant scale. The pressure to get back in the game is enormous, especially after the other boy band members have been successful.

So, he steals Rick’s heart-on-his-sleeve intimate acoustic tune and spiffs it up, creating a global smash pop hit and reclaiming the big time – selling out arenas and living the good life.

Shopping in a mall one day, Rick hears the song playing, to his surprise, but can’t prove he wrote it, so his behavior becomes erratic and combative. When Danny won’t return his calls, he takes drastic measures, and heads to L.A. for a confrontation.

One thing is certain. The song in question, “How to Write a Song (Without You)” is an instant catchy earworm. Could it follow Oscar-winning “Falling Slowly” from “Once” as a Best Song candidate?

Paul Rudd and Peter McDonald go from “Dublin to L.A.”

Everyman Rudd, whom audiences usually root for, isn’t afraid to play a flawed character whose behavior at times is questionable. His wife Rachel (Marcella Plunkett) and daughter Aja (Beth Fallon) are baffled but love him, for better or worse.

And Jonas, whom everyone pegs as a scoundrel, is a more conflicted guy, so the lines between hero and villain are blurred.

Carney, the director of “Once,” “Begin Again,” “Sing Street” and “Flora and Son,” is in familiar territory. But he looks at the price of ambition through an older lens here.

And nobody is as perceptive about music’s redemptive impact. In his raw and real explorations, Carney has created authentic characters and original songs that meet the moments.

Nick Jonas as Danny and Havana Rose Liu as Marcia in Power Ballad. Photo Credit: David Cleary

The weathered Dublin setting is cozy and comfortable, while the L.A. paradise is framed as shallow and sterile. The realistic look at musicians and their struggles, how they fit into the world, is one of Carney’s hallmarks. How natural the characters interact is another.

After all, he is the bassist to The Frames. Carney and his longtime songwriting partner Gary Clark penned 12 original songs for the movie. The soundtrack also includes the wedding reception staple “Celebration,” plus nostalgia nods “The Power of Love,” “Summer of ’69,” “Message in a Bottle,” “Maneater,” and “The Boys Are Back in Town.”

For those who believe music unites us, “Power Ballad” is a heart-tugging, funny look at the ever-changing tides in life.

The 2026 musical comedy-drama is directed by John Carney and stars Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett and Beth Fallon. It is rated R for language throughout and some drug use and runtime is 1 hour, 38 minutes. It opened in theatres on June 5. Lynn’s Grade: B+.

Beguiling ‘The Tempest’ Makes A Little Magic in Hale Shakespeare Glen

Beguiling ‘The Tempest’ Makes A Little Magic in Hale Shakespeare Glen

By Lynn Venhaus

On a remote island far, far away, a mischievous mix of magic and mayhem mark “The Tempest,” which is the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s flagship production now anchored in Forest Park’s Shakespeare Glen.

William Shakespeare’s drama-tinged romantic comedy takes place after a violent storm has washed ashore a merry band of revelers, upending the inhabitants on this island – and nothing is as it seems. Perhaps, someone’s bad dream is another’s hopeful voyage. In any case, there is perceptible verve.

Think of this as a way-back machine “Survivor,” where everyone must outwit, outplay and outlast the people who want power. And Prospero (Nancy Bell) is manipulating a chess game.

A mother and sorcerer, Prospero rules this mystical place, and tensions rise between her, her teenage daughter and now the brother who messed up her future and has reappeared. Haunted by his betrayal, she has vengeance on her mind, for she was once Duke of Milan.

Reginald Pierre and Jeff Cummings as Prospero’s evil brothers. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

Through royal chicanery, Antonio (Jeff Cummings) usurped the title, and with the help of another brother, Alonso (Kathryn Bentley), King of Naples, she was banished 12 years earlier. But they can’t be trusted because another ambitious brother, Sebastian (Reginald Pierre), wants the king’s crown himself.

Ariel (Eliza Pagelle) is a shape-shifting spirit on the island that aids Prospero. Through her occult preoccupation, the boss finds out that her nefarious brothers are on their way from Tunis to Italy, so she conjures a squall, and they wind up where she is. Mama Bear thinks she is in control.

It won’t be long until old wounds resurface and new challenges arise. Oh, be careful what you wish for, as Alonso’s honorable son Ferdinand (an earnest Zay Williams) spies Miranda (Sigrid Wise) and falls in love.

Caliban (Chauncy Thomas) is the only true island inhabitant, a witch’s son, and resents being overtaken by Prospero, who imprisoned him so he doesn’t get too close to her daughter.

A fierce Thomas musters all his fury as a resentful native. Formerly of St. Louis, Thomas is always a welcome addition when he returns, now for the sixth time.

Bell and Chauncy Thomas as Caliban. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

The ensemble includes kindly Gonzalo (veteran Whit Reichert), an elderly Neapolitan lord who helped Prospero survive exile (but secretly), and comic buffoons Stephano (Michael Dougherty) and Trinculo (Jose Sabillon), Alonso’s butler and court jester. That daffy duo plots with Caliban to take over.

Mother and daughter have been marooned since the girl was 2 years old, so one can imagine her naivete and innocence – and yearning to break free of the overbearing parent. Nevertheless, the protective mom wants her daughter to marry for love and position.

Wise, enchanting as the isolated Miranda, is as luminous as she was as Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet” in 2018 and was part of “The Winter’s Tale” the year before. She has tangible chemistry with Williams as a decent prince who can be trusted.

Through her instincts and technique, Bell is a formidable Prospero – and as much of an impact she has had on Shakespeare in this city, one must note that this is her first leading role outdoors in Shakespeare Glen.

Bell and Eliza Pagelle as Ariel. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

 (As Playwright-in-Residence, Bell wrote several “Shakespeare in the Street” productions, earning Best New Play awards from the St. Louis Theater Circle for “The World Begun” and “Old Hearts Fresh,” and two years ago, directed the award-winning “As You Like It.” She also founded the Confluence New Play Festival.)

The Circle’s most awarded theater artist, for acting, writing and directing, Bell commands attention from various vantage points perched on the decaying hull of a shipwreck. Her character must find a way to forgive on this journey.

Director Rick Dildine shrewdly showcases Prospero’s dominance by staging Bell’s position at different heights – when she’s talking to others. It’s rare when she’s on the same level of this imposing set, masterfully adorned with functional nooks and crannies.

The former director of St. Louis Shakespeare Festival (2009 – 2017) emphasizes nature’s impact as well as the colonial-era themes. Dildine’s version is a breezy 90 minutes without an intermission.

Goofballs Jose Sabillon and Michael Dougherty with Thomas. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

He is aided by a talented squad — assistant director Lize Lewy, producer Colin O’Brien, production company Blank Slate, stage manager Sarah Luedloff, and assistant stage manager Britteny Henry.

Dildine won a Circle award for directing a shimmering “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in 2016 where sound, lighting and scenic design enhanced the production, especially the original music.

The storytelling here is boosted by those same elements. The artisan MVPs who blended music and storm effects to elevate the experience included music director Michael Grieve, sound designer Melanie Chen Cole, lighting designer Jeff Behm and scenic designers Justin and Christopher Swader, all making impressive debuts, as were costume designer Kathleen Geldard and props designer Katherine Stepanek.

Grieve’s captivating immersive upbeat music is a zesty blend of roots music, sea shanties and folk melodies, with lively musicians Harrison Farmer, Crayton Haney and Otto Klemp, also in supporting roles, as is Grieve.

Musicians and partiers aboard a vessel. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

An original prologue on a satellite stage creates a festive atmosphere at Alonso’s daughter Claribel’s wedding, which kicks off the show (starting at 8 p.m.). Paul Dennhardt has provided interesting moves for the musicians and guests. All that’s swept away in the tempest.

Regarded as Shakespeare’s last play, when he was in his late 40s, this tale of forgiveness has the compassion of an experienced man looking at what’s important in life. And that is expressed well in this vibrant setting.

Dildine’s focus on nature’s capacity to heal is a key component to this 26th annual outing in the park, a year after a destructive tornado tore through Forest Park. He interprets that resiliency in the aftermath, as we all weather calm seas and violent storms in life.

A portion of the donations collected during “The Tempest” will go towards the tornado relief funds for the St. Louisans hit the hardest. And thanks to the parks department and Forest Park Forever, we are sitting today in these hallowed grounds of immense cultural importance.

Zay Williams and Sigrid Wise as Ferdinand and Miranda while Bell looks on. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

St. Louis Shakespeare Festival presents “The Tempest” May 27 – June 21 at 8:15 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays, in Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park, 6604 Fine Arts Drive (next to the Art Museum). Admission is free and accessible to everyone. The Glen opens at 6:30 p.m. and the Teen Green Show takes place at 7:15 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. For more information, visit www.stlshakes.org

Wise, Williams and Bell. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

‘Fat Ham’ Flips a Family Tragedy to Free Characters Instead in Black Rep’s Spirited Interpretation

‘Fat Ham’ Flips a Family Tragedy to Free Characters Instead in Black Rep’s Spirited Interpretation

By Lynn Venhaus

With a vivacious cast of relatable relatives, The Black Rep delivers a sassy, spirited and sometimes silly “Fat Ham,” which is a modern humorous reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.”

Surprising in its fresh spin of the play’s universal themes, the 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winner by James Ijames replaces royal revenge with a look at black masculinity, queer identity and cycles of generational trauma — but flips it as a comedy, not tragedy.

This production, deftly directed by Geovanday Jones, focuses on unpredictable storytelling. Jones brought out the playfulness of the performers, who sometimes mirror the Bard’s iconic roles, but mostly differ in humorous delivery and make them broader in body language.

Set at a backyard barbecue in the American South, the key points of Hamlet’s torment, confusion and the weight of heritage play heavily on the mind of gay college student Juicy, who is visited by his deceased father’s ghost. Pap seeks revenge, Juicy wrestles with that directive.

Enoch King as the ghost of Pap, with Marshall W. Mabry IV as Juicy. Photo by Howard Ash.

Pap (Enoch King) was murdered in prison and reveals to his son that his brother Rev (King, in a dual role) arranged the hit. The Rev quickly married Juicy’s livewire mother Tedra (firecracker Angela Wildflower), and disturbed Juicy sorts out a tangled web of betrayal, anger and legacy.

Blustery King capably plays two sides of the coin – the hot-tempered wronged brother Pap and the entitled, selfish bully Rev., whose toxicity signals danger.

But sweet, sensitive Juicy, masterfully portrayed by Marshall W. Mabry IV as an old soul, isn’t keen on vengeance. He summons an inner strength, shows how mature he is, and opts out.

Despite her questionable choices, his Gertrude-like mother relies on him to be steady – “You don’t get to go crazy,” she says when everything seems topsy-turvy.

Juicy breaks the fourth wall to comment on what we’re seeing and what expectations we might have, which is another departure from tradition.

Marshall W. Mabry IV as Juicy, now dressed for the party, with Angela Wildflower as Tedra on the porch. Photo by Howard Ash.

Friends and neighbors come to the party with their own baggage. The only real tragedy is that the characters are types who have never been allowed to be themselves. Tension escalates between the mean-dog uncle/stepfather and Juicy can’t relax and be true to himself.

Pass the potato salad as insights are revealed and the core group question their choices. Nods to the Bard’s great tragedy are in the form of a clever game of charades instead of an elaborate wedding banquet entertainment.

Patrick Huber’s scenic design is a marvel of form and function, creating a porch and yard with nooks and crannies for action – an adjacent shed, lawn chairs for tete a tetes, picnic tables to dance on top of while using a karaoke machine.

Huber’s crisp lighting design boosted key transitions while Tre’von Griffith’s sound design punctuated the action. Music is a key component in the presentation, and Heather Himes’ choreography brings out the show’s celebratory themes.

Olajuwon Davis as Tio, Mabry, Brian McKinley as Larry and Raevyn Ferguson as Opal. Photo by Howard Ash.

Two other stagecraft veterans added oomph, too – Andre Harrington’s costumes smartly conveyed characters and Mikhail Lynn’s props accented the social interactions.

An undercurrent simmers as more truths are exposed – Larry and Opal (aka Laertes and Ophelia) are the children of Rabby, a stylish but bossy busybody version of Polonius, who pushes her children to succeed. In another feisty role, Margery Handy lays it on thick as a boisterous social butterfly while her children are reluctant to fit into polite society.

Brian McKinley is misleading as the rigid, reserved Larry, a Marine in uniform, who needs to break free from societal expectations. He’s the epitome of duty, honor, service. As a fierce Opal, Raevyn Ferguson is mopey, forced to wear a dress, but lets loose as a lesbian who gets louder and prouder. Opal has nothing in common with Shakespeare’s Ophelia, and proclaims: “I ain’t dying for nobody.”

These siblings are the most obvious characters subverting expectations. But the major source of comic relief is naturalistic actor Olajuwon Davis as Tio, a chatty, porn-addicted stoner who serves as Juicy’s unfiltered best friend, like the Bard’s Horatio.

Fat Ham Black Rep. Photo by Howard Ash.

Observing Juicy’s melancholy, he remarks: “Your Pop went to jail, his Pop went to jail, his Pop went to jail, his Pop went to jail and what’s before that? Slavery.”

While action gets heated, don’t expect a bloodbath or even tragic deaths. Even with the tamped-down violence, the legacy between fathers and sons’ bristles, as it should for effect.

Hamlet (Juicy) isn’t home from college but attends an online school instead, majoring in human resources, and he is mocked for his goals.

What might life be like if we chose pleasure over harm? That’s the core of Ijames’ work. The younger generation wants to break the cycles of violence and trauma, opting for emancipation and joy.

The ensemble leans into these timeless elements, finding their voices and defying stereotypes. Juicy would rather live his truth out loud and doesn’t need to conform. The best thing about this twist? We are allowed to revel in his hard-fought victory — and in other characters’ liberations as well.

Mabry in the Hamlet role as Juicy. Photo by Howard Ash.

The St. Louis Black Repertory Company presents “Fat Ham” from May 20 through June 7 at The Edison Theatre on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. The play is 1 hour and 45 minutes, without intermission. This production concludes the 49thseason. Tickets and information for performances are available at theblackrep.org or through the Box Office at 314-534-3807. Reduced pricing is available for seniors, educators, museum staff, students, and groups of 12 or more

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Music Is Focus In ‘Michael’ Biopic from Jackson Family Perspective

Music Is Focus In ‘Michael’ Biopic from Jackson Family Perspective

By Lynn Venhaus

In contemporary biopics, well-known artists are usually presented in a typical template – rags to riches, bumpy roads and triumphs during a specific period, not spanning womb to tomb, and “Michael” doesn’t stray from that formula.

How this narrative distinguishes itself, in this Jackson family-produced portrait of their singular superstar, is the undeniable impact of his music and the memorable pop culture moments that Michael Jackson was a part of during his brief life. (He died at age 50 on June 25, 2009).

The story of the “King of Pop” begins in the mid-60s in Gary, Indiana, through the Jackson 5 success and their relocation to a family compound, Hayvenhurst, in Encino, Calif., to his breakout solo career, stopping at his “Bad” World Tour in 1988.

As an artistic innovator who redefined music, dance and music videos, he was known as a perfectionist who had a relentless work ethic. That is also shown in “MJ The Musical,” which opened on Broadway in 2022 and continues to tour the country, concentrating on rehearsals for Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour, and his career pressures.

Michael’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson portrays his uncle.

His creative genius and masterful songwriting skills are the major focus of this dramatization, while displaying his painfully shy and sensitive personality. There are glimmers of his compassion (visiting children in hospitals) and humanitarianism (although it doesn’t touch on “We Are the World” or his Heal the World Foundation).

Key moments include meeting Berry Gordy (Larenz Tate) at Motown, and his collaborations with Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson) on his first solo album “Off the Wall” in 1979 and then “Thriller” in 1982, which remains the best-selling album of all-time.

But the film really comes alive during the iconic pop essentials – filming of the landmark “Thriller” video, a choreography rehearsal for “Beat It,” the stunning introduction of his famous “moonwalk” on the Motown 25th anniversary special in 1983, besides his solo and group performances with his brothers Jermaine (Jamal R Henderson), Jackie (Joseph David-Jones), Tito (Rhyan Hill), and Marlon (Tre Horton).

Those scenes bristle with electricity and give the film its heartbeat. Jaafar Jackson, who is Jermaine Jackson’s son and Michael’s nephew, is remarkable in his uncanny portrayal of Michael from his teen years on, while Juliano Krue Valdi portrays him at age 10.

Jaafar has the moves, the speech pattern and the megawatt smile down pat, and Valdi is incandescent as the ebullient child singer fronting the Jackson Five. Suffice it to say he thrived in the spotlight. It’s the real-life stuff he had difficulties with (although it’s only hinted at briefly).

The struggles with his controlling and abusive father Joseph (Colman Domingo) and sweet but passive caretaker mother Katherine (Nia Long) are shown, but the family’s input on this heavily redacted narrative is obvious. After all, the list of producers includes everyone but his sister Janet and his daughter Paris. who did not sign off on this version.

So, you know you are getting a sanitized version of his life. This is the story the family wants to tell, and this is the movie that resulted – 2 hours and 15 minutes, from modest beginnings in Gary, Ind., to stopping at his Bad World Tour at Wembley Stadium the summer of 1988. Supposedly, a second part is in development. (To be continued, a screen says at the end).

If you want juicier details, look elsewhere. But if you want an entertaining slice of life that takes you back to the days when you first heard Michael Jackson and saw his evolution in the music business, those scenes pop with energy and excitement.

Colman Domingo as domineering Jackson patriarch Joseph.

Antoine Fuqua, who has directed action movies like “Training Day” and “The Equalizer,” helmed this, and his early career as a music video director is evident. His concert footage is beautifully shot by cinematographer Dion Beebe, who captures the electricity of live performances.

They also recreate the 1984 filming of the Pepsi commercial accident where Michael’s hair caught on fire from pyrotechnics and he suffered second and third degree burns on his scalp. That alludes to taking painkillers, which later caused issues for the star.

Screenwriter John Logan, who has been nominated for three Oscars for writing “Gladiator,” “The Aviator” and “Hugo,” and won the Tony Award for Best Play with “Red” in 2010, knows how to weave a compelling tale about larger-than-life personalities.

Logan also highlights Jackson as a savvy businessman, knowing exactly what he wanted, in meeting scenes with record company executives and managers.

the early beginnings of the Jackson 5 band.

This film was made for his legions of fans, and from the preview audience reaction, this will be a massive crowd-pleaser for those who separate the art from the artist, and is not for the cancel culture.

In quieter life moments, the film touches on Michael’s loneliness as a boy, his retreat into a fantasy life involving Peter Pan, old Hollywood movies, and his big dreams to be the best at what he did as an entertainer. It’s meant to tug at the heartstrings, the perennial man-child dilemma..

Yet, the film shows a loving relationship between Michael and his brothers — even when they’ve grown up and he hasn’t. In their younger days, those roles are played with great zest by Jayden Harville as Jermaine, Jaylen Lyndon Hunter as Marlon, Judah Edwards as Tito, and Nathaniel Logan McIntyre as Jackie, with Amaya Mendoza as a young LaToya.

His eccentricities include housing exotic animals that were a major part of his menagerie, including Bubbles the Chimp (a horrible CGI visual)..

The cast includes Laura Harrier as sharp Motown talent scout and later executive Suzanne de Passe, Jessica Sula as La Toya, KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Michael’s bodyguard/confident Bill Bray, and Miles Teller as lawyer and manager John Branca, who is also credited as a producer. Branca is co-executor of the Michael Jackson Estate.

Mike Myers, who also had a cameo in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” shows up here as CBS Records president Walter Yetnikoff, who puts the squeeze on MTV to play Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” in heavy rotation, threatening to pull his artists like Bruce Springsteen, Journey, Billy Joel, and other big names on the label if they didn’t.

While “Michael” is not a documentary or a complete picture, this fictional account encapsulates how Jackson’s talent endures and reminds the audience why they admired his unique four-decade contributions. This is definitely geared to a specific audience who is willing to get lost in the music.

“Michael” is a 2026 music drama biography about the late Michael Jackson, produced by his family and estates. It is directed by Antoine Fuqua and stars Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Juliano Krue Valdi, Larenz Tate, Kendrick Sampson, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, Ryan Hill, Miles Teller, Mike Myers, Jamal R. Henderson, Joseph David-Jones, Tre Horton, Jessica Sula and Laura Harrier. The film runs 2 hours, 15 minutes and is Rated PG-13 for some thematic material, language, and smoking. It opens in theatres April 24. Lynn’s Grade: B

Space Odyssey ‘Project Hail Mary’ Is a Heavenly Heart-Tugging Triumph

Space Odyssey ‘Project Hail Mary’ Is a Heavenly Heart-Tugging Triumph

By Lynn Venhaus
Clever, funny and heart-tugging – all the crucial qualities for a crowd-pleasing movie – are abundant in “Project Hail Mary,” an unlikely epic space opera that feels intimate with a smart script that isn’t dumbed down for mass appeal but comprehensible nonetheless.

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out.

He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction — but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

Savvy minds, rejoice! Respectfully silly at times and eager to please in one of the year’s most entertaining offerings, wildly creative directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller take us on a journey that never loses sight of what connects us as earthlings and in the universe.


Oscar winners for the 2018 best animated feature, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” Miller and Lord have a track record of turning films like “The Lego Movie” and “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” not only into innovative works but surprising emotionally rich stories too.

“Project Hail Mary” is the perfect vehicle to showcase their strengths, combining scientific theory with solid storytelling. They found the heartbeat in Andy Weir’s best-selling 2021 sci-fi novel by casting Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a lovable middle school science teacher who is clearly capable of pushing boundaries with his molecular biologist research.

Grace is tapped by a task force to help uncover why the Sun is dimming, leading to the formation of a dim infrared line from the sun to Venus dubbed the Petrova line, which would cause a catastrophic ice age within 30 years.

Asked to study a sample from the Petrova line, he discovers it is made up of single-celled organisms that consume electromagnetic radiation. He calls it ‘astrophage,’ and it breeds by absorbing energy from the Sun and carbon dioxide from Venus.


Without getting too much into the weeds, this astrophage is infecting stars, too, and a nearby star, Tau Ceti, is where the “Hail Mary” spaceship is bound. Grace is reluctant to participate in this space probe, which likely means he may not make it back home, but Eva Stratt, superbly played by Sandra Huller, is persistent.

Drew Goddard’s nimble screenplay adaptation makes it all understandable, while Gosling does the heavy lifting. With his megawatt charm, quick wit, and agility to immerse himself in any character, Gosling slam-dunks the Everyman-turned-superhero role.

If he is the soul, then the alien Rocky is the heart. Emphasizing empathy, the movie turns into an affectionate buddy relationship after Grace emerges 13 years later aboard the Hail Mary. Once he figures out things, he discovers he is not alone.

Enter an alien being, which he dubs Rocky. To communicate with this eyeless, spider-like five-legged creature, he develops a system, and Rocky, a skilled engineer, is trying to save his star home too, so they collaborate. And thus, the beginning of a beautiful friendship. James Ortiz voices the creature.


Hooray for the creators who resisted having a strictly CGI creature, but instead, puppeteers maneuvered this “Rocky.” We like our aliens lovable (“E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” being the prime example), and Rocky strikes a common chord, as homesick as E.T. and as logical as half-Vulcan Mr. Spock on “Star Trek.”

For its celestial atmosphere, cinematographer Greig Fraser, Oscar winner for “Dune,” blends digital technology with practical realism, and expertly crafts shadows and light. Composer Daniel Pemberton ingeniously uses organic matter, like glass and a squeaky water tap, and percussive sounds, to flavor his interesting score. He also uses choirs for a grand effect.

The use of Harry Styles’ 2017 song, “Sign of the Times,” in a karaoke scene, is a standout, beautifully underscoring the film’s themes.

The movie’s supporting players include Lionel Boyce, Emmy nominee as pastry chef Marcus on “The Bear,” as a government security guy, and Ken Leung and Milana Vayntrub as astronauts.


Goddard, an Oscar nominee for “The Martian,” another Weir novel, deftly delivers the contrast in big ideas and caring for others. Weir’s characters are indelible on the page, and Goddard makes them as memorable on the big screen.

Yes, it’s a long film, at 2 hours, 36 minutes, but it never loses momentum.

A thrilling triumph, “Project Hail Mary” is both classic in themes and far-reaching in scope, proving there is an audience for high-stakes storytelling that hits all the feels in a visually stunning cinematic experience.

“Project Hail Mary” is a 2026 space sci-fi thriller directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Huller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung and Milana Vayntrub, It is rated PG-13 for some thematic material and suggestive references and the run time is 2 hours, 36 minutes. Opens March 20 in theaters. Lynn’s Grade: A-

The Rep’s Brain-Teasing ‘The Enigmatist’ Exhilarates and Entertains Like the Best Game Night Ever

The Rep’s Brain-Teasing ‘The Enigmatist’ Exhilarates and Entertains Like the Best Game Night Ever

By Lynn Venhaus

Mesmerizing and masterful, “The Enigmatist” is a mind-blowing, brain-teasing, cleverly constructed blend of magic, puzzles, cryptology, and history.

This indelible one-man show by big-brained mastermind David Kwong engages through his razor-sharp wit and a theatrical flair for surprise. Clues abound and it felt like a communal game night with fun, smart people.

In the final stretch of The Rep’s season of “Daring Imagination,” this latest gem in the Steve Woolf Studio Series ignited an exhilarating adventure that left me awestruck and feeling as if my brain had undertaken a stimulating workout.

Before he even introduced himself, Kwong had us intrigued at the Puzzle Garden, an appetizing array of four brainteasers in The Rep’s lobby that serves as a prelude to his immersive experience below in the Emerson Studio Theatre.

The Puzzle Garden is ready to explore before the show and during intermission. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Highly recommended is arriving early so you can spend 30 minutes trying to figure them out – with small and large hints accessible. This interactive warm-up sets the stage for a shared feeling of togetherness that made the event so memorable. And you can return at intermission.

Most impressive is Kwong’s showmanship – in both his storytelling and audience interaction. He’s a charming ‘cruciverbalist’ who writes New York Times crossword puzzles, which accounts for his astounding verbal dexterity, but he has an easy-going, self-deprecating sense of humor that instantly engages the audience.

He’ll tell you about the gap between what you see and what you believe, and you’re immediately hooked. The thrill of code-breaking soon follows. The audience gets to guess, answer and be a part of the presentation. You may think that Kwong is the smartest man in the room, but you may be surprised by the brilliant minds sitting near you.

A dapper, slender man in a suit-and-tie, Kwong’s professorial demeanor doesn’t need the enhancement of a flamboyant Vegas-type spectacle for his imaginative tricks, and in his seamless style, keeps the show moving with astonishing ‘math magic’ and a fascinating tale involving intelligent heroes and stingy villains.

An audience member interacts with David Kwong. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Yes, math and science figure into his show, and so do history and wordplay. Fellow nerds and brainiacs are in heaven, but you don’t have to be a card-carrying Mensa member to enjoy. Just bring your curiosity and put on your thinking cap.

Suffice it to say you’ll never look at a kiwi fruit the same way again, and you’ll want to dig out your Scrabble board once you’re at home. The thrill of discovery is a major part of this intricately concocted excursion. (And we reciprocated by introducing him to Imo’s Pizza when someone suggested Imo’s for a crossword puzzle.)

His current playground is a cozy study setting, resembling what might have been at 221B Baker Street in London, Sherlock Holmes’ fictional address, or a well-traveled academic’s sanctuary. A few cabaret tables are scattered for patrons, giving it a small basement club vibe too.

Production Designer Brett J. Banakis and Lighting Designer Sean Gleason effectively keep the focus on Kwong’s illusions while Video Designer Joshua Higgason’s treasure trove of historical research helps us understand George Fabyan, who is a central figure in this enigmatic presentation.

A veteran New York Times crossword puzzle constructionist, Kwong shows how it’s done. Photo provided.

Fabyan, an eccentric business tycoon whose Riverbank estate along the Fox River in Geneva, Illinois, became home to experts in science, agriculture, literature and more as a private research laboratory. Known for pioneering modern cryptology in early 20th century, Fabyan is recognized as a forerunner of the National Security Administration.

Just as fascinating is the backstory of William and Elizabeth Smith Friedman, two of his employees who married and became experts in code breaking. They introduced mathematical/scientific methods to codebreaking during World War I, broke Japanese codes (including PURPLE) in World War II, and developed the theory of secure, one-time-pad communication.

Kwon weaves their stories into his script, and the history lesson is noteworthy. The visuals are not only those tidbits, but we watch Kwong construct Scrabble words — including three 8-letter ‘Bingos’ — and a crossword puzzle with an incredible verbal virtuosity that must be unrivaled.

The son of history and biochemistry professors, Kwong credits his “really smart” parents for sparking his curious intellect. A Harvard graduate who has become a renowned puzzle maker, TED Talk favorite and author, he has written “Spellbound: Seven Principles of Illusion to Captivate Audiences and Unlock the Secrets of Success,” and the children’s book “How to Fool Your Parents.”

Kwong surprises another audience member. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

He also caught the attention of Hollywood and has been a consultant on the “Now You See Me” movies, “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation,” “The Imitation Game” and the television series “Blindspot.”

Produced by Erica Fee and Jason Seabright, the show has wowed sell-out crowds in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., Toronto and London since its debut in 2019.

With its unmistakable new worlds of wonder, “The Enigmatist” is a delightful evening, where loud gasps, chuckles, and exclamations ripple throughout the audience, sparking applause and jaws dropping in equal measure.

No rabbits are pulled out of hats and there is no escape hatch, but you may be giddy if you find calculations appealing. You get the hocus pocus of card tricks and mystifying sleight-of-hand (best left unspoiled), and creative problem-solving that is stunning. And that’s entertaining on multiple levels.

Kwong about to reveal something that will stun the audience. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “The Enigmatist” March 7 – April 5 as the final installment of The Rep’s 2025-26 Steve Woolf Studio Series in the Emerson Studio Theatre, located in the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus, 130 Edgar Road, Webster Groves.

The show is recommended for those ages 6 and up. Including a 15-minute intermission, the show is about 2 hours. Merchandise is available for purchase, including magic books and playing cards from David Kwong,

Tickets for are general admission. Audiences can elevate their experience by upgrading to a Studio VIP Subscription, which includes reserved seating, parking in Lot K, and exclusive behind‑the‑scenes content and interactive experiences. Tickets are available at repstl.org or by calling The Rep Box Office at (314) 968‑4925.

Who knew Scrabble tiles could be so entertaining? Photo provided.