Josh Purtle
Josh Purtle
Recent Stories
Talented Yale thespians mispronounce ‘Godot’
Metal bolts poking out of its joints, a tree stands stark and beige on tattered, worn-leather ground. Huddled and squatting in his rags, a man pulls on his boot, grimaces, gives up. Repeat.
‘Antigone’ not the same ol’ Sophocles
A refreshing escape from stale, typical theater, “Hillbilly Antigone” is a vibrant production that shocks, embarrasses and disturbs. It even makes some interesting points about the squirrel afterlife.
‘City’ blossoms just like ‘Ulysses’ blooms
Written by New York playwright Sheila Callaghan, “Dead City” is the manic, intimate profile of the fractured, meekly dissatisfied Samantha Blossom (Hannah Corrigan ’09), a freelancing consultant in New York. Following the lead of Joyce’s “Ulysses,” “City” follows a day in Samantha’s life, distorted and refracted through her active, bewildered mind.
perk/pussy/pathetically prosaic
A production that defies every sort of convention and lives to tell the tale is a very rare thing. Perhaps even rarer are those, such as this, that slavishly conform and limply flounder.
W. hockey opens with tie and win
The women’s hockey team has come out of a successful opening weekend with a few scars but plenty of confidence. In their first two matches of the season, Yale tied 1-1 against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Friday in Troy, NY. On Saturday, the Bulldogs defeated Union 3-2 at Messa Rink.
‘Project’ preaches the marginalized gospel
A large sandbox and a rope with clothespins seem more appropriate to the set of “Leave it to Beaver” than the stage of a play about Christ. But that perception is one of many about the Messiah that this bizarre but agile production seeks to debunk.
Livin’ on a ‘Prayer’ in Iraq
There are several things that denote a mediocre production within its first few scenes — a missed cue, a monotonal voice or an actor’s sudden fall into the front row. I’ve noticed another lately: the phrase “I’m going to Iraq.”
Making Shakespeare flamboyant, ‘Richard’ cocks, goes limp
An improbable King Richard, who resembles nothing more than a crowned Johnny Depp, is rolled to the front of the stage on the tall platform holding his throne. Although this moment seems like nothing more than an outstanding blunder of theatrical innovation, after several scenes, it finally becomes clear that this bold depiction of the English king is actually rather effective.
Imagined ‘Town’ shines
“Our Town” is simply and gently elegant. It lulls its audience into the calm somnolence of Grover’s Corners, and then, just as subtly, reveals the unsettling meaning of that slumber. Overall, it is an unsettling production, a relevant play and an excellent example of stagecraft.
Eli biology majors find group support
Most Yalies associate majoring in science more with the trek up Science Hill than with liquid nitrogen ice cream socials. But student science groups with a social bent have sprouted up in the last few years, designed to encourage students to take their research activities into the extracurricular realm.