Made in SF with ❤️
Are you wondering if you should go see Dear San Francisco? The short answer is an emphatic YES, you should absolutely go see it. If you want to hear my full Dear San Francisco review then well, keep on reading! Dear San Francisco at Club Fugazi bills itself as a love letter to the city’s rich history and diverse culture. And it is, but with a fun Cirque du Soleil twist. With breathtaking performances, storytelling, and music wonderfully woven into the often complicated San Francisco narrative, there’s truly no show quite like it!
Where is Dear San Francisco performed?
Dear San Francisco is performed at Club Fugazi, located in the heart of San Francisco’s vibrant North Beach neighborhood. Club Fugazi is a beautiful historic venue with a rich and storied past. As the show announcer explains at the top of the show, it was originally built in 1913. I had no idea that over the years, Club Fugazi welcomed a diverse range of artists and performers, including Beat poets, jazz legends like Thelonious Monk, and even the Grateful Dead for their first album release party.
For an impressive 45 years, Club Fugazi was synonymous with an iconic and beloved musical, Beach Blanket Babylon. While I unfortunately never saw Beach Blanket Babylon myself, it was apparently quite the San Francisco institution, drawing audiences from around the world with its satirical wit and extravagant costumes.
After a brief closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Club Fugazi reopened in 2021 with Dear San Francisco, which was created by a contemporary circus collective from Montreal called The 7 Fingers. The other main recurring performance is “Sunday’s a Drag,” which is a drag show brunch hosted by Donna Sachet. I believe they now have some live music on Mondays and there is a new comedy show called “My Palatable Gay Robot” that looks fun. My husband and some friends went to see Sunday’s a Drag and they absolutely loved it!
What is Dear San Francisco about?
No story about San Francisco would be complete without recognizing it’s a place of contradictions, and Dear San Francisco captures this perfectly. San Francisco is a place where old meets new, where luxury condos stand next to historic Victorians, and where tech entrepreneurs share the streets with activists and progressives. The show embraces these contradictions, weaving them into a narrative that’s as complex and multifaceted as the city itself.
There are segments that pays homage to the city’s countercultural roots, with nods to the Beats, Film Noir, Chinese roots, and a Haight-Ashbury scene, which is complete with psychedelic visuals and music that transports you to the 1960s. But there are also references of the challenges the city faces today – the rising cost of living, the tech industry’s impact, and the ongoing struggle for which alternative milk to drink!
All the while, Dear San Francisco beautifully intertwines the group’s circus and acrobatic chops within the storytelling. I’ve seen many a Chinese yo-yo performance before but this one was particularly impressive and had a very sweet love story as well. There are also many other “circus acts” such as pin throwing, hoop jumping, umbrella balancing, trapeze, and more. As I watched the performers plunge precipitously down the poles and then skillfully stop themselves mere inches from the floor, I was thrilled and impressed at the crazy things these talented artists can do with their bodies!
Helpful Tips for Dear San Francisco
The show runs for 90 minutes with no intermission, but you can run to the bathroom if needed. However, performers intermittently do run around the main floor, so just make sure you are out of the way! They have special packages for birthdays, large groups, etc. Some other things to note:
- You can order drinks and food throughout the performance and your server will bring them to your seat. At the show I attended, there was a special menu created by Chef Michael Mina and Chef Ayesha Curry!
- You don’t need to have a lot of prior knowledge about San Francisco or any history, but there are some nice references that locals or ex-San Franciscans might enjoy
- You are requested to write a postcard “love letter” to San Francisco and submit it at the start of the show. 2 letters from the audience will be read out during the performance!
- It’s family and kid friendly and date-friendly too
Seating and Pricing Info
- You can get tickets for Dear San Francisco from Club Fugazi’s website
- Pricing is the same regardless of which seat you choose
- There is on-stage seating, balcony, and floor seating. The venue itself is not very large, so really feels like there is no bad seat in the house. I included a video below of the main floor to give you a better idea of what the venue looks like. If you want to interact more with the performers, you may want to sit on the stage itself, but the downside is that you may be staring at the backs of the performers for a good amount of the show. I chose to sit on the main floor, but think a balcony seat might be nice as well for another viewing of the show
- Some seats are swivel chairs (20″ – 32″), which might be challenging for some folks. The Club Fugazi website helps explain more about their seating here
Conclusion
As I watched the show, I found myself thinking about what it means for a show to be a love letter to San Francisco. I have described my site as a love letter to San Francisco as well, after all. But I think what Dear San Francisco really manages to capture reminds me a bit of a scrapbook of memories, replete with touching memories and hopeful promise just around the corner, but it does so with a level of artistry that’s truly inspiring. Whether you’re a longtime resident or a first-time visitor, everyone has a San Francisco story. So, do yourself a favor and catch a performance at Club Fugazi – it’s a journey you won’t soon forget!
