1,428 stories by "Ben Brantley"
The idea of theater as an act (and an instrument) of political defiance is a strange one these days to most Americans.
The idea of theater as an act (and an instrument) of political defiance is a strange one these days to most Americans.
The British monologist Daniel Kitson comes to know a dead man through his correspondence.
"Diciembre," at Under the Radar Festival, is a witty, sharply focused vision of a time well past celebration.
"Diciembre," at Under the Radar Festival, is a witty, sharply focused vision of a time well past celebration.
Brian Bedford, who seems to pick up a Tony nomination whenever he steps foot on a Broadway stage, has returned to portray Lady Bracknell in "The Importance of Being Earnest."
In its performance of "Being Harold Pinter," the Belarus Free Theater confirms the power of a single playwright to inspire those who are addressing abuses of power.
In a year that recapped some of New York theater's least appealing aspects, a few productions made us remember the singular power of theater to astonish.
Sometimes a familiar line or phrase can be heard in new ways thanks to an actor's unexpected interpretation.
Sometimes a familiar word or phrase can be heard in new ways thanks to an actor's unexpected interpretation.
The performance artist John Kelly channels Egon Schiele in his reprise of "Pass the Blutwurst, Bitte," at La MaMa.
A cycle of a dozen plays follows foreign involvement in Afghanistan, its results and the lack thereof.
Why good productions of Shakespeare and Pinter require actors to speak the same language.
Why good productions of Shakespeare and Pinter require actors to speak the same language.
Let some masters of eloquence deliver your holiday message.
The Kneehigh Theater's adaptation of "The Red Shoes" presents a raw view of Hans Christian Andersen's tale.
In first-rate productions of two Harold Pinter plays, five performers quietly send off distress signals with a fluency that leaves you grinning at such stylishly realized discomfort.
The road to salvation is flat and narrow in "The Break of Noon," Neil LaBute's single-tone study starring David Duchovny.
Kelli O'Hara plays the big-hearted telephone operator in a revival of "Bells Are Ringing."
John Guare's historical comedy "Free Man of Color," at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, tosses up bright balls of allusion and prays they'll land in a coherent pattern.
In scenic design these days, the biggest thing in the theater is film - or to be precise, digital projections.
In scenic design these days, the biggest thing in the theater is film - or to be precise, digital projections.
Fans of Peter Nichols, one of the finest and most underrated British dramatists of the second half of the 20th century, will definitely find elements to savor in "Lingua Franca."
Daniel Sullivan's production, full of clarity and subtlety, makes its premiere on Broadway after a summer in Central Park.
Yale Repertory mounts a "Notes From Underground" for the Internet age.
