The most interesting woman

California Stage has revived Rick Foster’s bio-play Love, Isadora—a great opportunity to see this fascinating one-woman show, especially if you missed it in 2008.

Local professional actress and choreographer Lori Russo is once again playing Isadora Duncan (1877-1927), the brilliant and often impulsive visionary who played a critical artistic role in creating modern dance. Duncan grew up in free-spirited San Francisco, but chafed under the formal constraints of ballet.

She migrated to London, where she drew acclaim for her new approach to dance, and then embarked on tours of Europe. She became a somewhat scandalous celebrity, having multiple affairs, wearing red scarves to display her sympathy with Soviet communism (new at the time), and indulging in sports cars and champagne—leading to a premature death.

Russo and director Janis Stevens contribute terrific work, as the show highlights Duncan’s very public life and private thoughts, with deftly chosen music by Chopin and Beethoven. Foster has updated his script with material from the unabridged version of Duncan’s biography—portions were suppressed during her lifetime, and ultimately restored in a 2013 edition.