There’s a long history of gender-bending in Shakespeare: all the roles were originally played by men, some of whom—of course—were required to wear dresses. (That’s right, Juliet was a dude.) This may not be news to many of you, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still opportunities to mess with the formula. In “She Stoops to Comedy,” the Shakespearean set-up (a production of “As You Like It”) serves as a backdrop for gender-swapping, sexuality-exploring, and all-around queer mayhem. Sounds fun, right?

Let’s see if I can get this (no pun intended) straight. (Male actor) Liam Vincent plays (female actor) Alexandra Page, trying to win back her lover (Sally Clawson) by starring in a production of “As You Like It.” Page plays Orlando, which means—yes—a male actor is playing a female actor in a male role. Got it? Well, it gets more confusing, as there are comic complications and unexpected pairings among just about everyone in the show. According to the press release, the script changes, the characters become their actors, and everyone leaves the theater delighted but confused. (OK, I made that last part up.)

“She Stoops to Comedy” officially premieres tomorrow night at the SF Playhouse. The show begins at 8 p.m., and you can buy tickets on the SF Playhouse website. It’ll run through January 10; check back here early next month for my review.

Photo courtesy SF Playhouse.

Full disclosure the first: I was an extra in “All About Evil.” Full disclosure the second: I’m biased toward campy horror-comedy slasher flicks featuring drag queens. Now that that’s out of the way, let me say how incredibly excited I am about “All About Evil.” The film is drag star Peaches Christ’s first feature-length project—the sordid tale of Deborah Tennis, a mild-mannered librarian who snaps and turns her killing spree into a career in underground horror. (I know, right?!)

“All About Evil” doesn’t come out until next year, but the film has a brand new website that’s pretty damn awesome; check it out here. There’s plenty of good stuff there, including high quality stills, a collection of the teaser posters (the first of which is attached to this post), and some basic background information on the cast and crew. My favorite part of the site—other than the press section, where you can see approximately one-third of my face in an audience shot—is the plug for the Victoria Theatre. “All About Evil” was filmed on location at the Victoria and elsewhere in the city, making it an extra special San Francisco production.

Keep checking back here for more information on “All About Evil.” And go see it when it hits theaters! If not for your love of campy horror-comedy slasher flicks featuring drag queens, then at least for me.

Some have called Jamaica’s mightiest record producer, the one and only Lee “Scratch” Perry, a madman. He may be one reggae’s longest-lived patron saints, but he also managed to drive Bob Marley out of his stable of recording artists, clash with The Clash over the production values of “Police and Thieves” and, not least, burn his own recording studio down to rid it of “unclean spirits.” (They don’t call him “The Upsetter” for nothing.) This winter, a precious few US audiences will have the chance to witness Perry walk the border between madness and genius live on stage.

Ever the eccentric, Perry’s live show as every bit as surreal as the dozens of singles and albums released under his multitude of pseudonyms since the early 1960s. Expect sound system antics de rigueur, the most unintelligible stage banter this side of Shane MacGowan and, of course, and that drop…drop…drop dub beat.

Dude lives all the way over in Switzerland these days, so pocket tickets while they’re still $25 a pop. Check out Perry’s handful of U.S. dates below:

Sunday, December 13th: New York, NY @ HighLine Ballroom

Monday, December 14th: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

Wednesday, December 16th: Park City, Utah @ Star Bar

Friday, December 18th: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent

Saturday, December 19th: Oakland, CA @ Town Hall

Sunday, December 20th: Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst

To check out more groundbreaking goings-on in arts and culture, keep up with the CultureMob blog or follow us on Twitter.

“Green Porno”? What is that: environmentally conscious erotica? Not quite, but you’re almost on the right track. “Green Porno” is actually an absurdist look into the mating habits of various insects and sea creatures, as only Isabella Rossellini could imagine it. This series of short films has been featured in several festivals and is a total trip. Check it out on the Sundance “Green Porno” website.

Er, but I do have a more San Francisco-centric point here! This Thursday at 8 p.m., Rossellini will be appearing at the Herbst Theatre in conversation with Roy Eisenhardt. There will be film clips—”Green Porno” on the big screen! For those not familiar with her more recent work, Rossellini is an accomplished actor and director. You may have seen her in “Blue Velvet,” “Wild at Heart,” “The Saddest Music in the World,” and lots of other really, really weird movies.

Tickets to this event are still available and can be purchased on the City Arts & Lectures website for $25. There’s a good chance they will sell out, so buy now!

And if you’ve stumbled on this blog post looking for porn, my sincerest apologies.

What, another film festival? Seriously, they happen all the time in this city. But hey, as a film lover, I’m not complaining! I’m also a big fan of new Italian cinema, even though there tend to be some overdone plotlines. (Marital infidelity in every single movie. I’m not exaggerating here.)

But I digress. The point is, the New Italian Cinema film festival begins tomorrow night with an opening night party and a screening of “Fortapàsc,” with director Marco Risi in attendance. OK, so it’s not as highly anticipated in the states as “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” but that doesn’t mean this film isn’t worth your while. “Fortapàsc” is based on the true story of Neapolitan journalist Giancarlo Siani, murdered for reporting on the Camorra. (Funny coincidence: “The Godfather” and “The Godfather, Part II” are screening at the Castro today. Get a double dose of Italian crime families!) Anyway, Risi’s movie is at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.—you can attend the reception either before or after.

There are several other films to see: the festival runs through November 22. If you find that you really like Marco Risi, you might be interested in “Three Wives” (Monday at 6:15 p.m.) or “Boys on the Outside” (Monday at 9 p.m.). I’m hoping to catch “The House in the Clouds,” because I love Italian dramas about brothers. (Really!) There are a couple queer films as well: “Sea Purple” and “Different From Whom?” The festival closes next Sunday with “Vincere,” starring my all-time favorite Italian actor Giovanna Mezzogiorno as Ida Dalser, the mother of Mussolini’s illegitimate child. She’s so fierce—I can’t wait.

All of the films are at the Embarcadero Center Cinema. You can buy tickets and see a full schedule on the San Francisco Film Society website. Spero di vedervi lì. (Pretentious, I know, but how often do I get to use my Italian?)

Photo courtesy SFFS.

I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that Topol, the iconic star of the film version of “Fiddler on the Roof,” will no longer be reprising his role for the North American tour. The good news is that Harvey Fierstein is taking over. Don’t tell Topol I said this, but to me, that’s a total upgrade.

Fierstein played Tevye in the recent Broadway production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” but he has a bunch of other impressive credits on his resume, including “The Torch Song Trilogy” and “Hairspray.” He was also in two of my favorite ’90s movies! (”Independence Day” and “Mrs. Doubtfire.” Amazing.) Topol may be the quintessential Tevye, but Fierstein’s gravelly voice and campy appeal are sure to add something special to this production. (It’s a really long show. You’re going to need some levity.)

“Fiddler on the Roof” will be at the Golden Gate Theatre beginning on January 27. That’s a long time from now, but if you’re especially eager to see Harvey in action, you can subscribe to the 2009-2010 SHN season over at their website.

This isn’t the kind of thing I’d usually post here, but I’m a big “Top Chef” fan, and there’s a good chance you are, too. Bravo’s reality cooking competition is the best out there—and yes, I’m looking at you, cheap Food Network knock-offs.

So! In the spirit of my “Top Chef” love and my appreciation for host Padma Lakshmi, I feel it’s worth bringing the following to your attention: Lakshmi will be appearing at Neiman Marcus tomorrow to help launch her new jewelry line. Again, I’m not big on jewelry, but I do love me some Padma. Head over for your chance to meet the host-author-cook-certified hottie. She is sure to look ridiculously glamorous and a little bit pregnant.

Anyway, the event is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free but the jewelry definitely isn’t. You can find out more about The Padma Collection by checking out its Facebook page.

“American Idiot,” the stage musical based on the Green Day album, which is being performed at the Berkeley Rep through November 15th, is officially moving to Broadway — they just don’t know exactly when, or in what theater.
For details, check out my review of the show on TheFasterTimes.com.

You know, not many film festivals get a kick-off party and an opening night celebration, but that just goes to show how hip and vibrant the San Francisco International Animation Festival is. To be fair, the kick-off celebration—8 p.m. this Wednesday at the Mezzanine—includes animated shorts accompanied by live musical performances. Nifty! The opening night party is more about the free wine and appetizers. You can get into that simply by purchasing a ticket to either the 7 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. screenings of “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” All that takes place at the Embarcadero Center Thursday night.

Let’s back up for a minute. Yes, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” will have its San Francisco premiere at the SFIAF. So if you’re a Roald Dahl fan or a Wes Anderson fan or simply a person who likes talking animal movies, you’re in for a treat. And there are plenty of other films to see. On Friday, November 13, you can catch a series of shorts called “The Breakdown” at 7 p.m. It looks … kind of sad. Full-length feature more your style? Stick around for the 9 p.m. screening of “A Town Called Panic,” the only stop-motion animated film to appear at the Cannes Film Festival. On Saturday at 7:45 p.m., check out the U.S. premiere of “Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai,” which is—get this—an anime-style documentary. Then there’s the Swedish “Metropia”: neat look and impressive voice cast. That premieres on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

All of these films are at the Embarcadero Center Cinema. For a full SFIAF schedule and to buy tickets, head to the San Francisco Film Society website.

When I heard that the Castro was doing a four-day Al Pacino series, I thought I’d finally be able to see “Cruising” on the big screen. I was wrong. But hey, I’m not disappointed, because the movies they do have lined up are equally exciting! The series is called Prime Pacino ‘71-’75. Otherwise known as, Prime Pacino: The Years He Was Really, Really Hot.

It all begins Wednesday, November 11 with a double feature of “Serpico” and “The Panic in Needle Park.” Castro double features are neat, because you get two movies for $10. (Um, I guess that’s the nature of a double feature, but it’s still cool.) On Thursday, you can check out “Dog Day Afternoon” and “Scarecrow.” Friday and Saturday is “The Godfather” and “The Godfather, Part II.”

All of the double features take place in the afternoon and evening, which means people without day jobs (holler!) can attend the earlier shows. Check the Castro website for times.