Venus in Fur: The [Fore]play’s the Thing

It is easy to see why regional theatres have found Venus in Fur to be the most appealing of recent New York offerings to produce… It is written by David Ives, a proven commodity with audiences (his All in the Timing is a staple of regional theatre). And, it’s about sex, though with enough other “stuff” thrown in so as not to shake audience sensibilities too much. San Diego REP’s production takes advantage of all of these pluses, and if it doesn’t achieve maximum potential it won’t disappoint its audiences, either.

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Triple Threat Needs Help With John Doe Musical

Featured picture for John Doe

On the surface John Doe is about a man (Michael Nieto) who ends up in a hospital emergency room with no identification and apparently in a coma. He is cared for by one nurse in particular (Rachel Propst), who takes a liking to him without knowing anything about him. Also hanging about are five fairly stereotypical and one-dimensional men who are not seen by the staff but who watch the goings on from a set of waiting room chairs. A sixth character (Jane Lui), who it turns out, is John’s wife, flits in and out like a mental case, clinging to one or more of the men.

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