Ron Campbell reprises his role as inventor, architect, philosopher and futurist “Bucky” Fuller in D.W. Jacobs’ “R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe” at San Jose Repertory Theatre through Feb. 23. Photo by Kevin Berne
I’ve probably seen D.W. Jacobs’ R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe five times now, and I get something new out of it every time. I saw the one-man show starring the extraordinary Ron Campbell about 14 years ago when it opened in San Francisco at Theatre Artaud. That production ran for over a year, went on tour, then came back about a year later. I thought I might get weary of Bucky and his fascinations, but that was never the case.
Now History/Mystery is back, this time at San Jose Repertory Theatre and the show still has so much to say it’s almost impossible to absorb it all in one sitting. Campbell is just as good if not better, the new production features beefed-up video projections.
I reviewed the show for the San Francisco Chronicle. Here’s a sample. The link to the entire review is below.
It takes a certain kind of genius to make genius entertaining, and that’s what Ron Campbell does in D.W. Jacobs’ “R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe” for nearly 2 1/2
Fuller as played by Campbell is still getting excited over icosahedrons and vector equilibrium and “ephemeralization” (doing more and more with less and less), much the way he did when we first encountered him in this beguiling solo drama 14 years ago in San Francisco. Now the show is at San Jose Repertory Theatre in the heart of Silicon Valley to preach Fuller’s gospel of saving his “Spaceship Earth.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
D.W. Jacobs’ R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe continues through Feb. 23 at San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose. Tickets are $29-$74. Call 408-367-7255 or visit www.sjrep.com.