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Poster by Paul Springer
Photos by Michael Behrens Credits: Nate Levine plays Billy and Miss Emma REVIEW OF THE WIDOW WEST: “The Widow West” by Morgan Ludlow is at Stage Werx until September 27, and YOU SHOULD NOT MISS IT! Classical Greece had Homer and Ulysses, ancient Rome had Virgil and Aeneas, and now San Francisco has Morgan Ludlow providing us a myth of the city's own founding husband, Wiley West. Historians be damned! The real story of what kept San Francisco afloat when the gold ran out involves a young cross-dressing prospector by the name of Billy and a rough, tough millionaire, the aforementioned Mr. West. The play is almost too much fun, especially when watching Jason Jeremy as Adolph Sutro vie for the affections of Miss Emma, who he hasn't realized is a young man in drag. But the underlying humanity of the situation, particularly the danger to Emma if it is ever discovered that she is really a boy, is continually and seamlessly brought back into focus by the playwright and by the cast's balanced work. Excellent performances are turned in by Janice Wright as the whore with a heart of coal, Mark Shepard as Sam Brannan, and Billy Hayes as Wiley West. But best of all are the two leads, Nate Levine as Billy and Miss Emma, and Gwyneth Richards as the Widow West, whose narration advances the story. I've been going to theater in the area since 1977 and, for my money, Gwyneth Richards is the Bay Area's most accomplished Shakespearian actor. That's why it was particularly surprising and enjoyable to see her switch from a reminiscing Widow West into brief stints as various comic characters, including a brothel keeper who walks and talks like John Wayne (in a purple gown). As you can tell, I was delighted at this evening of theatre, and I'm urging all my friends to go see it. “The Widow West” deserves to be San Francisco’s next big home grown hit. Nick Hornby, YELP |
The Widow West
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