Scena’s production of Kenneth Branagh‘s Public Enemy tells the story of Tommy (Barry McEvoy), a Jimmy Cagney impersonator in 1980s Belfast who uses his imitation to keep himself out of trouble. The first act pleasantly meanders, introducing the characters and setting up the story. The second act veers into topsy-turvydom as Tommy goes off the deep end with his Cagney impersonation and the play ends without necessarily explaining itself.

To read Chris Klimek‘s review of Public Enemy, go here.

Dan LeFranc‘s 60 Miles to Silver Lake at Studio Theatre follows a son and his estranged father on an uncomfortable road trip. The play’s scene-breaks give a backstory to their awkward conversations, revealing how the family broke down and upending our original interpretations of the family members. Andrew Sonntag and Chris Mancusi play the teen and dad respectively and excel in parts that require extreme dexterity.

To read Chris Klimek‘s review of 60 Miles to Silver Lake, go here.

Olney Theatre Center’s production of Triumph of Love seems to pride itself on its elbow-nudging moments to the audience, but it’s in the more subtle and delicate moments that the musical truly shines. Stephen F. Schmidt and Helen Hedman‘s performances as Hermocrates and Hesione are full of heart and rapture. Strict rationalists the both of them, they’re having trouble letting their emotional guard down—but when they do and the music starts, it’s something both they and the audience will likely remember.

To read Trey Graham‘s review of Triumph of Love, go here.