Parent traps: Matt Smith in All My Children

MATT SMITH PHOTO BY DAVID BAUM

But Sherry's ostensible charge, and first client, is in fact Zack (Jeremy Kahn), the morose son of her mother's old flame and Sherry's new boss (Remi Sandri). Zack, it turns out, is burdened by guilt over the car accident that took his own mother's life, and his relationship with his loving but perplexed father has accordingly attenuated. In other words, that escaped tiger outside ends up standing for a lot of people's trauma and fear — unless of course it's just as lost and bored and depressed as everybody else in this gentle, mildly funny, and well-acted production. Although sentimental and not quite as outrageous or acute as it would like to pretend, Tigers Be Still has some decent laughs and can charm, especially with so likeable a cast, even if it doesn't bite.

ALL MY CHILDREN

Fri/22, 8 p.m.; Sat/23, 8:30 p.m., $20–$50

Cabaret at Marsh Berkeley

2120 Allston, Berk.

www.themarsh.org

TIGERS BE STILL

Extended through Sept. 10

Tues.–Wed., 7 p.m.; Thurs.–Sat., 8 p.m. (also Sat., 3 p.m.), $30–$50

SF Playhouse

533 Sutter, SF

www.sfplayhouse.org