Critic's Choice

Mini-reviews of current exhibits, by Advertiser art critic Virginia Wageman

Remains of a Rainbow (Honolulu Academy of Arts, through Dec. 30, 532-8700): Incredible photos of Hawai'i's endangered plants and animals by the acclaimed photographic team of David Liittschwager and Susan Middleton. They spent five years documenting on film rare species in intimate and dramatic close-ups.

Madge Tennent and Chris Campbell (Cedar Street Galleries, through Dec. 2, 589-1580): A rare opportunity to see paintings, drawings and prints by Tennent (1889i1972), whose subject was Hawaiian women, whom she portrayed as graceful and dignified. In her unromanticized, straightforward portraits of Hawaiian women, Campbell today expresses the spirit that so engaged Tennent.

Robert Kushner (The Contemporary Museum at First Hawaiian Center, through Dec. 5, 526-1322): Kushner works with a bold, bright palette, adding metallic leaf and glitter to further spark his wild colors and patterns. His subject is flowers of Hawai'i. Ginger, plumeria, hibiscus, heliconia and other blossoms are painted in a semi-abstract manner over exuberant abstract backgrounds.

Mini-reviews of current stage productions, by Advertiser theater critic Joseph Rozmiarek

James Joyce's "The Dead": This Hawai'i Pacific University production is an exquisite character study of upper-middle-class Irish life in Dublin a century ago. Family and friends sing and dance at an annual Christmas party, while dealing with troubling personal doubts. Wonderful acting, music, dancing, costumes and set. Repeats 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays, 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Nov. 21, through Dec. 9 (no show on Thanksgiving); at Hawai'i Pacific University Theatre, Kane'ohe. $14 general; $10 seniors, students, military, HPU faculty and staff, $5 HPU students. 375-1282.