by David Glen Robinson
Published on May 25, 2015
Every production of 'Waiting for Godot' now is all about how it is produced; City Theatre’s production stands up well to any production of it, perhaps anywhere.
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett may be the best literary statement of post-World War II angst in existence, and it's an influential expression of where we remain philosophically in the post-Holocaust Nuclear Age. Playing now at City Theatre in east Austin, it's a monument of 20th century modernist theatre produced frequently in the current era, a work never to be missed when presented nearby. Most dedicated theatregoers know the story: the play comes to a halt …
by David Glen Robinson
Published on July 01, 2014
Psycho Beach Party is Charles Busch’s parody of California surfer culture, and, more particularly, surf movies. And there’s nothing like a sunny, open beach for a horror/mystery story, right? If you think this approach is slightly bent, then you get Charles Busch, and welcome to his world of playwriting and theatre. City Theatre, led by Andy Berkovsky, really gets it, and treats Psycho Beach Party just right. Their production is hilarious, and in this reviewer’s opinion, City Theatre …
by David Glen Robinson
Published on May 08, 2014
City Theatre has taken on the challenge of producing Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance in this their eighth production season. Andy Berkovsky and his production team are gaining a reputation for boldness in taking on such challenges. Albee fans will flock to City’s shopping center theatre on the east side to see this one and they will be pleased with the results. In his program notes guest director Fritz Ketchum points out the mysteriousness of Albee’s dense language, …
by David Glen Robinson
Published on March 24, 2014
Putting together a theatre season boils down to nothing but choices, and for eight years Austin's City Theatre has created worlds of delight for theatergoers. Earlier this season the company gave us the uproarious Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling, as evergreen as Christmas and Hanukkah, and The Whipping Man by Matthew Lopez, a drama that taught us that every being seeks his own Promised Land. Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple, City's current production, is famous for the high ratings on the …
by David Glen Robinson
Published on February 17, 2014
Matthew Lopez’s esteemed play The Whipping Man takes on race, America’s central issue from Appomattox until now. The participation of Jewish Americans in slavery and emancipation puts a wry and tragic twist on it all. Director Stacy Glazer and Production Designer Andy Berkovsky deserve commendation from the git-go for their boldness in addressing issues that have been with us for millennia. The competent cast worked very hard to make this beast roar. Here’s the thing: all the …
by David Glen Robinson
Published on November 24, 2013
Chinquapin Parish comes to the City. To the City Theatre, that is, in the form of Robert Harling’s superbly written modern classic, Steel Magnolias. Theatre fans cannot see this masterpiece frequently enough; they must review it often to catch the fast-flying wicked barbs, double entendres, bon mots, and just plain corny jokes that fill its two hours and ten minutes. It feels like about one hour because laughter makes one lose all track of time. The …