1.5 out of 5 stars

Monet Hurst-Mendoza’s “Torera” is a play about just that — a female bullfighter. And it’s a fascinating subject to explore. The sport, cruel as it may be, offers plenty of life-or-death drama, but here we have the added element of a woman trying to make her way into its male-centric world. Alas, a solid premise doesn’t make for solid theater. The writing is ham-fisted (or should I say bull-fisted?) and the story weaves in too many unnecessary elements, to say nothing of some pointless dance segments. The unsubtle acting in this production seems only to heighten the script’s shortcomings. — Charles Passy

At the WP Theater, through Oct. 19, 2025; wptheater.org. (Review date: Oct. 5, 2025)