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SF Follies
Category: Arts & Entertainment Performing Arts Performing Arts [Edit]
855 Bush St(between Mason St & Taylor St)
San Francisco, CA 94108
Neighborhood: Union Square
(800) 838-3006
- Hours:
Thu-Sat 8 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
About This Business:
We're the Bay Area's leading independent presenter of chamber music, vocal and instrumental recitals, jazz and contemporary dance. We present… read more »
16 reviews for SF Follies
16 reviews in English
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Review from Maile N.
3/16/2009
What a great jam-packed two hours of a show this is! They hit San Francisco history from the late 1800s through the present with plenty of dance, color, song, pizazz and laughs - oh gosh, I was crying from laughter! I brought my visiting friend and we were both doubled over with laughter and tears throughout the show.
As a local of 4+ years, the San Francisco neighborhood nuances that they touched on were dead on. But I think non-locals would enjoy it just as much -- think of it as a virtual tour guide that gives you a touch of the inside scoop of the varying personalities of our SF neighborhoods before trekking up and down our hills.
It was great!! I think I'll try to catch it again before it's over on April 26. Get your tickets now! -
Review from C t.
San Francisco, CA
5/29/2011
My girlfriend liked this better than Beach Blanket Babylon. She liked the Burlesque part of it.
I thought the show had a slow start but got really funny towards the middle of the show. Having seen Beach Blanket twice, if SF Follies had the nice costumes that Beach Blanket has then it would give Beach Blanket Babylon a run for its money!
SF Follies is great for tourists and locals alike. -
Review from Ray P.
Colma, CA
2/10/2009
This show was one of the more entertaining musicals I've been to. There is a lot of talent and energy on the stage at any given moment. My biggest (minor) qualm would be volume control, as some people knew how to handle the mic while sharing their powerful voices and some just sang just a little to close. Other than that, it was a very VERY well written piece that was played out flawlessly by a great cast.
What's surprised me was their accurate depiction of how San Francisco was (at least from what I've learned in school) and the way they went through the timeline. It was funny yet informative, which helped satisfy my thirst for knowledge and laughs. It's definitely not for the faint of heart (or for those looking who are slow), as the jokes were very witty and the overall presentation was edgy. Definitely a step up from some of the other shows I've seen. It was a FULL HOUSE when I went, and I have friends and family going this weekend to watch... so get your tickets as soon as possible! -
Review from Bip B.
San Francisco, CA
4/2/2009
This is a fun show but I'm writing this review in an attempt to keep everyone's expectations in check.
CONS: Minutes 4-20 are kind of boring. The tickets are a little pricey for what you get. The talent is great for a small SF theatre group but doesn't touch big time shows or even 2nd tier shows in other cities. (There were one or two good performances in the group.) (I normally don't criticize the talent at these small shows, but as I mentioned above... for the price I was expecting something better.)
PROS: It's a small theatre and almost feels like you are getting a show in your living room. The finishing 2/3 of the show are actually pretty funny. Full of insider SF jokes. (I'm not sure how funny this would be for tourists.) It's the right length for a show of this type. The actors/actresses give off a ton of energy. -
Review from Jen G.
San Francisco, CA
5/9/2011
Hilarious! We loved it! Took Mom (and Dad) for Mother's Day and she had so much fun. You should go if you get a chance. It was Beach Blanket Babylon but only about San Francisco. Just fabulous! Bravo!
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Review from Pat C.
Oakland, CA
6/9/2011
I was both disappointed and offended by this show. The performers gave it their best (a couple are very talented, e.g., the young man who played Gavin Newsom and some of the female singer/dancers) but overall the show was not at all funny and quite offensive. Is there a joke in seeing "Indians" dressed up in long blonde wigs or a homeless person in a shopping cart showing the bottle she has to urinate in.? And the endless stream of how expensive, crime-ridden and gay the city is - where's the love?
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Review from Jacquelynne S.
San Jose, CA
5/4/2009
I'm in love with the Filipino actor that played the part of the country bumpkin yet had a British accent. He can have have my love child. I enjoyed the inside jokes about SF and singing along to most of the songs. In fact, thanks to this show, I was able to go on an Itunes purchasing frenzy and download a bunch of old songs.
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Review from Hannah A.
San Francisco, CA
2/15/2009
My husband and I saw the SF Follies matinee this afternoon, and it was absolutely hilarious! John Bisceglie succinctly intertwines San Francisco history with cultural truisms. Despite an audience full of folks from different backgrounds, age groups, and even demographics, this well-written piece struck home across the board. You may want to get tix in advance because people waited in the rain for them today--unheard of in SF. Bravo!
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Review from J-e-r-o-l-d R.
San Bruno, CA
4/3/2009
Great show! The cast is great and I was happy to know that they really understood San Francisco. I was especially happy that you get to drink inside!
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Review from Michelle H.
San Francisco, CA
3/23/2009
AMAZING! I am a Broadway lover since I grew up in NYC and I was blown away by this show. Never a dull moment and the fact that it was hard to get tickets and they will be around until April says a lot. If you only watch one show in SF, this should be the ONE!
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Review from Greg C.
Irvine, CA
2/28/2009
Great show. Local production. Limited seating (only 85 seats per show). Basically a show that unravels the Bay Area (namely San Francisco) throughout the past 100 years. Some highlights include the tiger attack, the hunt to purchase pricey San Francisco real estate and the enthusiastic, hard working actors/actresses. Will watch again! Go SFfollies!
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Review from Jessica N.
El Cerrito, CA
3/1/2009
Really fun show. Great use of sequins and glitter. Funny entertaining . . .and not too long.
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Review from Bob Z.
Lafayette, CA
4/17/2009
My wife got us tickets to this show for my birthday and it was money well spent. This is a very funny and enjoyable 90 minutes with no intermission, with a cast that clearly enjoys what they are doing. As a native San Franciscan, I probably enjoyed this show more than someone not as versed in SF lore, and if you're not knowledgeable about the quirks of the various SF neighborhoods, some of the jokes might not be as funny, but still this show is a great way to take your mind off the problems of the day. I would recommend this show to anyone who have lived in the Bay Area, because the show takes good natured shots at other parts of where we live - even Walnut Creek. Fun-Fun-Fun. And there are no bad seats either- this is a very small venue.
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Review from Jeannine K.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2009
The show I saw was mean-spirited, derivative, and neither the dancing nor the singing was much above amateur status. And the music! San Francisco has hundreds of songs written about it; and yet, when the SF Follies brought up the City's female political powerhouse of Pelosi, Feinstein, and Boxer, the best song they could come up with was the theme from the Mary Tyler Moore Show? A true roast (as this show claims to be) should be done with fondness behind the digs. There was no love (and precious little wit) here. This one was aimed solely at those who want to congratulate themselves on NOT living in San Francisco. And even they'd be better served by just staying home.
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Review from Stitch H.
San Francisco, CA
2/10/2009
With all the production value of a fourth grade talent show in a mediocre, suburban school district this mess of self-indulgent pap provides little entertainment value even with the heavily discounted tickets available at finer bottle shops everywhere in the Tenderloin. Like the 4th grade talent show, the actors unmercifully mug for their parents in the audience. I kept waiting for the insufferable dad with his video camera to walk in front of the stage. The music was uninspired and the lyrics reminiscent of school yard taunts. Odd how the 4th grade milieu keeps reappearing. The historical facts were rushed and at times questionable. Sex was a constant theme, but of the wink and smirk variety. As time passed this show became more unwatchable and desperate members of the audience kept looking at their watches, hoping for an intermission. Perhaps wisely the director did not introduce an intermission in hopes that the audience would not evaporate along with his desire to present something beyond his name on the play bill. This show is not recommended for anyone with an intellect beyond that of a nematode.
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Review from Julia W.
San Jose, CA
2/22/2009
As native San Franciscans, who adore our city and it's history, we loved this show! This was a fun, fast paced look at San Francisco's truly historic past and it's citizens. With it's fabulous costumes (especially the wigs) SF Follies was very fun to look at. The singing and dancing made it easy to enjoy. The writing was witty and true and the humor can be enjoyed by natives and visitors alike. This show has such potential for greatness, it could become a San Francisco staple!
