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Hamlet's nowhere in sight, but there's still plenty of outrageous fortune in The Karma Cookie, the new 1812 Productions play about two British brothers who take a whirlwind tour of the world. Their stopovers are instigated by the words found on those tiny white papers tucked in fortune cookies; each cracked snack sends the pair off on another adventure. The two chaps hope to find enlightenment, but all sorts of things get in the way — sibling rivalry, Himalayan monasteries, pies in the face and a bucket of mayhem.

—Deni Kasrel

Through March 29, $17-$35, 1812 Productions at the Adrienne Theatre, 2030 Sansom St., 215-592-9560, 1812productions.org.

Beth Beverly's work will likely never grace a restaurant wall. Her taxidermy-meets-found-objects approach to art, in all its precious yet appetite-curbing whimsy, represents a stark contrast to gallery owner James Oliver's highly subjective abstractions — which are, among other things, part of Stephen Starr's personal collection. The artists' unlikely collaboration stemmed from his taxidermy curiosity, and her expertise. "I'd always played with found objects — snakeskins, seashells, empty beehives — so this was a natural step in my progression as a craftsperson," says Beverly, who's practiced animal preservation for eight years. "It's a very organic and messy process. My studio is an absolute pigsty." We're ready to follow her down the rabbit hole.

—Carolyn Huckabay

Through April 18, James Oliver Gallery, 723 Chestnut St., fourth floor, 267-918-7432, jamesolivergallery.com.

Where does art come from? That's something Justin Duerr says he "should not be privy to," though he's been producing intricate, otherworldly black-and-white drawings — like those on display at St. Asaph Gallery — since he was a child. Duerr is a member of the Philly-based Coalition Ingenu Self-Taught Artists' Collective, a nonprofit that helps up-and-coming artists with histories of homelessness or mental illness find materials and space to show their work. Ingenu director Robert Bullock, who arranged the exhibit, says Duerr's prolific artistry represents "an ongoing story in his head. He's obsessive — a true visionary."

—Katie Karas

Opening reception Fri., March 6, 6-8 p.m., free, through April 5, St. Asaph Gallery, 27 Conshohocken State Road, Bala Cynwyd, 610-664-0966, saintasaphs.org.

Even in the quietest restaurant, the kitchen is anything but. Through dense layers and serpentine constructions, Andy Benson's frenetic photographs capture the chaos of cooking for hundreds of patrons each night. Shot on a Holga at haunts like Good Dog, Zahav and Cochon, the brightly colored SEAR series opens with a benefit tomorrow evening, and it's the best time to get a taste. For a $25 cover, you see Benson's work and watch David Ansill of Ansill Food + Wine prepare small plates that you then get to eat, all while supporting citywide hunger relief organization Philabundance.

—John Vettese

Opening reception Fri., March 6, 5-6:30 p.m., $25 (tickets required; free after 6:30 p.m.), through April 30, Foster's Homeware, 399 Market St., 215-925-0950, chefsofphilly.com.

Anyone who claims that children lose their imagination when they grow up has never run across Baltimore-based Missoula Oblongata or one of its fantastical shows. The group always begins with a dream list: "This time, we wanted to make a play about a raccoon at the world's fair," says Sarah Lowry, one of three Missoula members. The plot centers on the raccoon, her trainer and a magician, who — as Lowry tells it — "invents palindromes, casts spells and forms a relationship with the raccoon." The audience can also expect to help execute the magician's escape plan. Lowry promises, "You definitely won't be bored." No kidding.

—Lauren F. Friedman

Wed., March 11, 7 and 9 p.m., admission by freewill donation, Little Berlin, 119 W. Montgomery Ave., 610-308-0579, themissoulaoblongata.com.