Not a lot of people know Prudentius' Psychomachia by heart these days, but during the Middle Ages, it was a hit. The allegorical poem with a rockin' title gave vice and virtue human form and pitted them in epic, kaiju-like battles. The odds were stacked — Luxuria (Lust), attended by her companions Beauty and Pleasure, was armed with wine and roses, while Chastity carried a big frickin' sword — but medieval crowds ate it up because the struggle is real and recognizable. Consider, then, The Seven Deadly Pleasures: A Rock Opera a welcome update with a catchy chorus. The characters — an unprincipled businessman, his licentious wife, rebellious son, prideful daughter, and lazy, gluttonous brother — reflect modern pathos in song (socio-economic pressures, family secrets, internal conflicts) with the Devil and a chorus of angels. This incarnation features favorites from the Dark Room as well as Tom Jones' vocal doppelganger, Steffanos X, and was adapted from a sold-out production at American Conservatory Theater's Costume Shop last year.
The Seven Deadly Pleasures: A Rock Opera starts at 8 p.m. through May 24 at Fort Mason, Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street, S.F. $15-$30; 415-399-9554 or sfiaf.org.
415-345-7500
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