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Theatre
Groundswell
October 10-November 8, 2009
Avg. Event Rating (3.5 Stars):
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Review/Comment
The hottest new play to come out of South Africa! In a beachfront guest lodge on the jagged edge of the South African diamond coast, we find Thami, the black caretaker, and Johan, a white ex-cop who lives at the lodge, gunning for one last chance at a better life. When Smith, a wealthy businessman, arrives at the lodge on a foggy evening, the two desperate friends see Smith as the perfect investor for their “get-rich” scheme to buy a government-run diamond concession — tossing a glimmer of hope and promise into their difficult lives. But as the evening wears on, the darker side of their dreams and aspirations is fueled by greed, danger and entitlement from the uneasy history they share. This haunting psychological thriller hungers, hopes and promises for a just post-apartheid society, while asking: How do we live together after apartheid? Where did all the promise and hope go? Who bears responsibility for the sins of the past, and can we move beyond it?
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Ticket Info
Tickets: $18-$52
Info Phone: 408-367-7255
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Dates & Times
Dates:
October 10-November 8, 2009Times:
Tues-Fri: 8pm
Wed: 12pm
Sat: 3pm, 8pm
Sun: 2pm, 7pm -
Venue Info
101 Paseo de San Antonio San Jose, CA 95113-2603
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Accessibility Info
- Wheelchair Access
- Assisted Listening System
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NOTE: We do our best to ensure all information is accurate. However it's a good idea to visit the official website or call the venue to verify the information.
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Member Reviews
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Event Name: The Weir
"Outstanding Storytelling"
Review posted by: Susannah from San Jose, CA, Jan 28, 2010
From the real Irish feel of the pub set, to the subtle but effective sound design, to the slice of life writing of the script, right on down to some of the best, most enjoyable and REAL performances I... Expand
From the real Irish feel of the pub set, to the subtle but effective sound design, to the slice of life writing of the script, right on down to some of the best, most enjoyable and REAL performances I have seen in a long time, The Weir is a night of imersive storytelling that holds your attention nearly all of the 2 hours without intermission. Rare is is that you feel within 20 minutes of a play that you know these characters, and I found myself at many times smiling at how sucked in I was. As they draw a pint of beer on stage, the slight smell of guiness from patrons sitting near me,it made the experience all the more real. A warning that that Irish accents and slang are a bit heavy and take a while for the ear to get aquainted with, but 4 out of 5 of the actors were nearly fawless with their speech. You might leave a bit baffled by what the "point" of it all was, but in the end this moment of time, shared between some folks is well worth the ticket. Collapse
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Event Name: A Christmas Story
"Sweet and Light Comic Holiday Fun!"
Review posted by: Susannah from San Jose, CA, Dec 10, 2009
Although I think those that love the film might not enjoy this version nearly as much, the cast and overall production is nice family entertainment I think we all can relate to. Nothing out of this... Expand
Although I think those that love the film might not enjoy this version nearly as much, the cast and overall production is nice family entertainment I think we all can relate to. Nothing out of this world, but a solid cast and super technical aspects make this overall enjoyable. Collapse
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Event Name: As You Like It
"Moments of greatness, but slightly inconsistent."
Review posted by: Cheryl B. from San Jose, CA, Sep 27, 2009
I didn't expect to like the concept (in fact, I had a hard time beforehand figuring out what it was), but I actually really enjoyed it. There were also some phenomenal performances, notably from... Expand
I didn't expect to like the concept (in fact, I had a hard time beforehand figuring out what it was), but I actually really enjoyed it. There were also some phenomenal performances, notably from Jaques/Adam and Silvius, respectively. The Dukes/Corin and Rosalind were also strong. But, I felt that it took almost an hour to get into the actual emotional meat of the play, likely because the actor who played Celia left me cold (I got little love and devotion to Rosalind from her, she just seemed constantly irritated) and the actor who played Orlando kept the stakes nap-inducingly low until the second act (he did grow on me later). Touchstone was fun, but his Audrey played her part as two dimensional at best (delightful, however, as Amiens). She was nothing, though, to the atrociously awful, painfully amateurish Phebe. I certainly enjoyed myself, but at the Rep, especially for Shakespeare, I expect performances to be unilateraly solid, and some of these missed the mark. Collapse
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Event Name: As You Like It
"Beautifully realized production that does Shakespeare Proud"
Review posted by: Theatre Professor from Los Gatos, CA USA, Sep 20, 2009
This production is inventive and spectacular storytelling. The play that Shakespeare wrote over 400 years ago is not sacrificed and all of the actors integrate the language and the concept... Expand
This production is inventive and spectacular storytelling. The play that Shakespeare wrote over 400 years ago is not sacrificed and all of the actors integrate the language and the concept beautifully. This is the way Shakespeare should be done in 2009! I sat next to a young lady who thoroughly enjoyed it and more importantly, was drawn into the dilemnas of the characters. The magical moment of The Seven Ages of Man was true genius. The high-tech setting worked. Go see this production and bring the kids!I am looking forward to more from Rick Lombardi. I have avoided the Rep for years and am hopefully that this is a renaissance for that company. Collapse
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Event Name: As You Like It
"Shakespeareless"
Review posted by: Dan from Palo Alto, Sep 04, 2009
All the high tech screens, the southern accents, the pretty songs, and the token gay actor,and the hamming of Nixon and John Wayne; all the ipods and leaves falling ....all the attempts by the... Expand
All the high tech screens, the southern accents, the pretty songs, and the token gay actor,and the hamming of Nixon and John Wayne; all the ipods and leaves falling ....all the attempts by the director to be politically correct and contemporary....all this CUTENESS doth not a Shakespeare play make. In the end there is only chaos; there is no inspiration at all in the audience to celebrate the true victory of this play which is the joy of a love story- a union finally of happy marriages. We end up exausted with all the gimmicks and strutting -and could care less. So typical of directors trying too hard and missing the soul of the play. Collapse
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Event Name: As You Like It
"Modern Archetypes for your pleasure"
Review posted by: Shakespeare Junkie from San Jose, CA, Sep 04, 2009
Gotta luv Shakespeare with cell phones, iPods, and Ultimate Fighting. The ever-changing high-def digital set was overwhelmingly wonderful. Steve Irish as Touchstone was as versatile and entertaining... Expand
Gotta luv Shakespeare with cell phones, iPods, and Ultimate Fighting. The ever-changing high-def digital set was overwhelmingly wonderful. Steve Irish as Touchstone was as versatile and entertaining as Robin Williams would've been in the role. The show's most poignant moment comes when James Carpenter as Jacques does the "All the world's a stage" monologue; his transformation while describing the seven ages of man is theater magic you will not soon forget. If you like seeing Shakespeare transported to other places and times, don't miss Orlando using Post-it Notes for his love poems to Rosalind. Thank you, (new artistic) director Rick Lombardo! Collapse
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Event Name: As You Like It
"Must See"
Review posted by: ruth from Morgan Hill, Aug 30, 2009
Rosalind and Touchstone were just fabulous and my favorite characters in this performance held in San Jose. The digital backdrops and light direction was so fun!!
Rosalind and Touchstone were just fabulous and my favorite characters in this performance held in San Jose. The digital backdrops and light direction was so fun!!
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Event Name: The Foreigner
"The Foreigner"
Review posted by: Ms.Tara from Fremont, CA, Jul 29, 2009
I really enjoyed watching this play, it was just wonderful. The characters were very interesting and this play kept me laughing the whole time! It was definitely one of my favorite plays of all time.... Expand
I really enjoyed watching this play, it was just wonderful. The characters were very interesting and this play kept me laughing the whole time! It was definitely one of my favorite plays of all time. I would highly reccomend watching this play. Collapse
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Event Name: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
"Clever and sweet"
Review posted by: Susannah from San Jose, CA, May 12, 2009
Some great talent in this wonderful musical with a hiliarious story. Humable songs and fantastic tech made this a really enjoyable night. I'd seen this show once before a few years back and thought it... Expand
Some great talent in this wonderful musical with a hiliarious story. Humable songs and fantastic tech made this a really enjoyable night. I'd seen this show once before a few years back and thought it was going to be impossible to match the talent I saw, but it's a strong ensemble and there was plenty of laughing! Collapse
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Event Name: The Kite Runner
"Redemption"
Review posted by: Dave Eisbach from San Jose, Ca., Apr 08, 2009
It is hard to imagine a more sensitive and moving description of a life, its dark turns,its struggle against injustice and hatred and a surprising redemption. Well staged with highly talented actors.... Expand
It is hard to imagine a more sensitive and moving description of a life, its dark turns,its struggle against injustice and hatred and a surprising redemption. Well staged with highly talented actors. It is a play to be seen and remembered. Collapse
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