review

Galactic gals “The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody” (a review) by Bondo Wyszpolski Well, it seemed promising, and overall I guess it was, but the Force wasn’t entirely with me for “The Empire Strips Back,” a wry, lavish striptease with most of the “Star Wars” characters letting it all hang out: Luke Skywalker, Princess […]

Retooling the past “Madame Butterfly” – a review by Bondo Wyszpolski This is a heartbreaking melodrama during which the audience is likely to cry and shed tears, and you may do so as well without embarrassment. That’s because we lose ourselves in the sensuality of the story and not in its ingredients, the historical accuracy […]

Reluctant warriors “Memnon” at the Getty Villa, a review by Bondo Wyszpolski Every September, for nearly two decades, the Getty Villa has presented a new rendition of an ancient Greek or Roman play, some of them comedies, some of them tragedies, and the performances take place in the courtyard between the outdoor amphitheater and the […]

Poetry in motion “The Comet / Poppea” — two operas for the price of one, kind of, sort of… by Bondo Wyszpolski [This is a review of a new work presented by The Industry, a company that reimagines how operas can be presented. “The Comet / Poppea” played for two weekends in Little Tokyo.] Yuval […]

Those who read my columns on a regular basis may have noticed I’m rarely the first to review a restaurant. This is deliberate, because as much as readers may want to know about a new eatery, what they’re doing the day they open may not reflect the long term experience. The chef may discover an […]