All That Fall — Originally intended for radio, Samuel Beckett's play is presented in this production as just that — with actors "reading from scripts" and gesturing to each other physically while staying in character vocally. The plot couldn't be simpler. Elderly Maddy Rooney is walking to the train station to meet her even older and blind husband, and then they walk back home. Along the way, Maddy encounters different folks and assorted animals from the town, and those interactions serve to throw Maddy into introspection about her life. It's all a bit challenging, with some charming performances fighting against stage business that is often nonsensical. (Howey) Produced by Cesear's Forum through October 16 at Kennedy's Down Under, 1615 Euclid Avenue. Tickets are $15; call 216-241-6000 or go to cesearsforum.com.
Closure — A dramatization of 28 poems by local poet/playwright Mary Weems. You'll see objects left behind in foreclosed homes animated by music, dance, and multimedia presentations. Through October 10 at Karamu House, 2355 East 89th St. Tickets are $20-$25; call 216-795-7070.
My Fair Lady — Ask any theater buff to name the five best musicals of all time, and chances are My Fair Lady will make the list. Its incomparable score by Lerner and Loewe may never be surpassed for tunefulness and wit. Trouble is, there's more to a musical than music, and that's where this production at the Beck Center lacks a bit of traction. Although the singers acquit themselves admirably, backed by a lush 13-piece orchestra under the baton of Larry Goodpaster, much of the rest of the evening is bruised by barren staging, misdirected acting, and an enervating lack of pace. (Howey) Through October 17 at the Beck Center, 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Tickets are $10-$28; call 216-521-2540 or go to beckcenter.org.
The Walworth Farce— Cooped up in a shoddy highrise in London, daddy Dinny orchestrates daily mini-dramas with his two grown sons, reenacting their family history, back when Dinny was the "King Kong of Cork," their hometown in Ireland. These stories involve a disputed inheritance and some murders, and are acted by these three louts with all the subtlety of the Three Stooges. Irish playwright Enda Walsh has fashioned a steamy petri dish of rigid ritual that is almost suffocating in its single-minded focus. That makes it a bit confusing and hard to watch at times, even as the laughs keep coming. (Howey) Through October 3 at Dobama Theatre, 2340 Lee Rd., Cleveland Hts. Tickets are $10-$25; call 216-932-3396.
