The title of David Rabe's continually popular "Hurlyburly" comes from Shakespeare's "Macbeth."
"When the hurlyburly's done, when the battle's lost and won," chants the Second Witch in the opening scene of the bloody tragedy. Fueled by drugs, misogyny and more drugs, the play takes a darkly comic look at various Hollywood poseurs in the early 1980s as they try hanging onto increasingly blurred images of themselves.
A 1998 film version featured Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright and Garry Shandling. Katie Chapman directs the Big Idea Theatre company production with BIT's artistic director, Kirk Blackinton, heading the cast along, with Alexandra Ralph Evans, Beth Edwards and Justin Lee.
The Big Idea Theatre, 1616 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento. Performances continue through June 11 at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $13 and $15. Information: (916) 960-3036, www.bigideatheatre.com.
Opening in the Bay Area
The one and only Anna Deavere Smith returns to the Bay Area for the first time in 15 years with "Let Me Down Easy."
The show previews this weekend and opens Wednesday at Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre. Already extended through July 10, the production – conceived, written and performed by Smith – deals with our bodies, our physical vulnerability and our emotional resilience.
As always, Smith plays the wide range of characters she has interviewed to create the story, including controversial cyclist Lance Armstrong, model Lauren Hutton and the late Texas Gov. Ann Richards.
Master actor Smith has been seen in such shows as "The West Wing" and recently "Nurse Jackie" but made her much-imitated theatrical mark with her one-woman shows. In the plays "Fires in the Mirror" and "Twilight: Los Angeles" Smith delved into conflicted communities and the personal stories underneath the headlines of the events.
"Let Me Down Easy" is a more intimate meditation on life, death and cost of caring for our ailing bodies. At 2015 Addison St., Berkeley. Tickets are $17-$93. Information: (510) 647-2949, www.berkelyrep.org
Closing at California Stage
Jean Anouilh's modern adaptation of Sophocles' "Antigone" from Kolt Run Creations closes this weekend with performances at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lisa Thew directs Kelly Ogden as Antigone and Patrick Murphy as King Creon in the symbolic clash of wills and morality. All tickets are $15 and the seating is general admission at California Stage, 2509 R St., Sacramento. Information: (916) 454-1500, koltrunproductions.com.
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