Theater Thursday - Mrs. Christie

We received complimentary tickets to Mrs. Christie for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own. 

What: Mrs. Christie

Where: McCarter Theatre Center 

             Berlind Theatre

             91 University Pl.

             Princeton, NJ

Who: Recommended for Ages 12 and Up

When: Through May 31, 2026 

Mrs. Christie is a show about the iconic mystery writer Agatha Christie and her legacy. It takes place in dual time periods. The first focuses on her own mysterious disappearance and what led to it, including the period just before and just after. The second set in the modern day is about a search for an alleged mysterious missing Christie manuscript. 

Unfortunately, it is so hard to root for or care about Agatha Christie in this story because throughout most of the story, she comes across as whiny and pathetic, a woman who just wants to hang on to her husband even though he clearly doesn't care about her.  She doesn't exhibit the strentgh of character you would expect from a woman capable of creating such strong-willed fictional characters. It isn't until late in the show that she finally gets a little self-respect and gumption, but by then, it is too little too late. 

The other part of the show is interesting and fun. However, based on the historical context, the search for a mysterious missing manuscript is bound to lead nowhere. These characters, especially the secondary main character, Lucy, mostly exist to give Christie the push she needs. However, it would have been more impressive if she found the strentgh she needed to move forward within herself without outside help. 

This does not mean there isn't anything good about the show. Any Christie fan will enjoy catching all the references to her books and characters. There is also a Hercule Poirot character called Monsieur here, and a Miss Marple character just called Jane. They are played by Evan Zes and Gina Daniels, respectively. The two do an excellent job channeling the famous literary characters. Although some of the other performances are quite good as well, these two are a highlight, if not the highlight, of the show.

And that's our view. For more about Mrs. Christie or to purchase tickets, visit www.mccarter.org/mrschristie

Tune in Saturday for Still More Theater Saturday.

Photo credits: 

All Mrs. Christie production photos by Daniel Rader.

Images used in this post were sent by publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission.  Any Concerns regarding image usage can be addressed here.

Where-To-Go Wednesday - For the Win: Objects of Sport Excellence

We received tickets to the American Museum of Natural History for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own. 

What: For the Win: Objects of Sports Excellence

Where: American Museum of Natural History

            200 Central Park W.

            New York, NY

Who: All Ages

The new exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, For the Win: Objects of Sports Excellence, focuses on objects awarded for atheltic success. It includes trophies, medals, jewelry, and more. Specific items on display include a Super Bowl trophy, one of Jesse Owens' Olympic gold medals, and a Yankees championship ring. Other sports represented include tennis, basketball, soccer, NASCAR, and more. Other items on display include one of Clarissa Shield's boxing championship belts and Yogi Berra's Babe Ruth crown, among other things.

The exhibit is divided into several sections and covers the Olympics, women in sports, trailblazers, New York sports, and more. Other athletes and teams represented include Katie Ledecky, Jackie Robinson, the NJ/NY Gotham Football team, and the Boston Celtics. There are also several Olympic torches and custom jewelry pieces created to commemorate specific athletes, teams, or occasions. 

The walls of the exhibit are adorned with pictures of famous athletes and teams engaged in competition. These include Simon Biles, Patrick Ewing, the 2018 Tour De France, and the 2026 Women's Ice Hockery gold medal game. There is even a sports-related soundtrack of songs, sports announcers' calls, and even ambient crowd noise from various sporting events that plays in a continuous loop as you go through, totally immersing you in the world of athletic prowess. Whether you are a sports fan, an admirer of achievement, or you just love bling, this exhibit is for you.

And that's our view. For more about For the Win: Objects of Sport Excellence, go to www.amnh.org/exhibitions/for-the-win. For more about the American Museum of Natural History in general or to purchase tickets, visit www.amnh.org

Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.

All pictures used in this post are our own.  Any concerns regarding image usage can be addressed here.

Tips for Tuesday - Books: Rani Desphande Takes the Wheel & Shapes of Love & Movie: The Midway Point

We may have been given complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or any other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Books: Rani Desphande Takes the Wheel & Shapes of Love 

Today, we recommend Rani Deshpande Takes the Wheel by Arushi Avachat. After a disappointing first year of college and a transfer, Rani decides to spend the summer resetting her life, which includes finally getting her driver's license.  If only she didn't have to take driving lessons from Kush, her childhood crush and family friend. 

This is an engaging book. Kush never seems as bad a guy as Rani at first paints him to be, and they are cute together, and it is sweet the way their relationship develops. A surprising revelation late in the book changes everything and is a heart-fluttering delight. 

As with the author's previous book, she really does a good job of showcasing both the highs and lows of family and friendship. Rani has an extremely loving, supportive family and chosen extended family, but they can also expect a lot from her, her mother in particular. Her mother can be very demanding and takes it for granted that Rani will handle things and take care of whatever she doesn't want to do herself, including managing her brothers. Rani is a second mother to them, but not in a cute, voluntary way. It is more of an obligation she is saddled with. 

She does love her brothers, though, and they have a sweet relationship and not much, if any, sibling rivalry, although the boys' relationship with each other is full of it. Perhaps it is because of the age difference, although that is never specified.

Rani also has a very sweet relationship with her grandfather, who is always there for her. He doesn't really speak out about the way Rani's mother treats her like an unpaid servant, though, and seems intent on keeping family harmony.

Her relationship with her best friend, Simran, is pretty typical of a best friend relationship, at least in book form. They have known each other forever and have always been there for each other, but when Simran gives Rani some advice that she doesn't want to take, they go through a rough patch. To be fair, Simran is somewhat out of line, but she means well and really has Rani's well-being at heart, even if she is somewhat misguided. The friendship that develops between Rani and her co-worker, Michael, is nice as well. He is surprisingly supportive even when it seems like he might have reason, at least in his mind, not to be. 

As with the author's previous book, you can learn about Indian traditions through reading this book. However, if you really want to understand everything, you may need to look up a lot, which is probably too intensive for most people. However, if you are already familiar with Indian culture or don't care about understanding book details that are not extremely relevant to the basic plot, you will likely not be bothered by this. 

Today, we recommend Shapes of Love by L.V. Penalba. Sasha hits it big with the release of her first album, and a frenzy of speculation is unleashed about the mystery boyfriend who inspired her lyrics. However, Sasha is aromantic asexual and not interested in a romantic relationship, and her songs were inspired by books and anime. Convinced that the truth would be damaging to her career, her manager pressures her to enter into a fake relationship with her best friend, Kai, to hide it. 

This is a lovely and sensitively told story. It showcases a character whose own story would not normally be told in popular culture, let alone would she be the central character of a novel. She is not the only one in the book who represents a traditionally underrepresented group, either. The novel does a beautiful job of validating love in all its forms, including not only different romantic orientations but also platonic love.

Movie: The Midway Point

Today, we recommend The Midway Point. In this touching film, a lonely autistic teenage boy is drawn into a relationship with a somewhat rebellious teenage girl. The story is heartwarmingly told, and the main character is portrayed in an extremely realistic but sensitive manner. 

And that's our view. Rani Desphande Takes the Wheel and Shapes of Love were published today. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday. The Midway Point is available On Demand starting today. 

All images in this post, except film images, are our own.  Film images have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms. Any concerns regarding image usage can be addressed here.