Recent Reviews
Review: Silence! by Doctuh Mistuh Productions
by David Glen Robinson
Published on July 03, 2014
Oh, no! It’s the musical of Silence of the Lambs! I hope they don’t hurt it! Oh, please, the thing is bulletproof and cries out for a stinging parody about cannibalistic, human skin-wearing serial torture-murderers and the daffy FBI agents who chase them. Silence! The Musical has actually been around since 2005, with its music and lyrics written by Jon and Al Kaplan, and book by Hunter Bell. But now, with ISIS rampaging through the Middle East and …
Review: Psycho Beach Party by The City Theatre Company
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 …
Review: Pygmalion by Different Stages
by Michael Meigs
Published on July 01, 2014
The production of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion playing at the Vortex is a sparkling interpretation by Norman Blumensaadt and the Different Stages cast and crew. This is a production not to be missed by anyone who appreciates the magic of narrative theatre. Practically all of us have seen the film version of Lerner and Loewe’s musical interpretation, My Fair Lady. It was relatively faithful to Shaw’s 1913 play, so there’ll be moments when you’ll suddenly find yourself expecting one …
Review: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Zach Theatre
by David Glen Robinson
Published on June 14, 2014
Zach Theatre Center goes for the gold this spring with Christopher Durang’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (VSMS), the 2013 Tony Award winner for Best Play. The Zach is producing the regional premiere of the play with a cast almost completely of Actors Equity Association members, directed by first-time Zach director Abe Reybold. Again Zach gives a work its due with undoubtedly the highest production values of any theatre in Austin. The production is spectacular, …
Review: Bethany by Theatre en Bloc
by David Glen Robinson
Published on June 02, 2014
Theatre en Bloc has opened Bethany by Laura Marks. The play offers themes of diverse social problems and trends, including homelessness, unemployment, housing decline, the fraudulent inspirational management industry, urban decay, and government bungling. All these are thrown together in an intriguing, plot-heavy contemporary play that could be happening in Round Rock, Detroit, or down the block as we speak. Jenny Lavery directs. Theatre en Bloc is to be applauded for its excellent choice of a serious …
Review: Gold Show/Rose Show by Galaxy Dance Studio
by David Glen Robinson
Published on June 02, 2014
Gold Show/Rose Show is a yearly performance series produced independently by Heloise Gold and Julie Nathanielsz. This year’s installment, as usual around the Memorial Day holiday, was performed at Galaxy Dance Studio. The show presented some treasures of dance-based performance. It rewards all the attention its fans give it. This performance was made especially enjoyable by the expert technical lighting, sound, and video production by Natalie George Productions and Eliot Haynes. A special recognition for stage …