Recent Reviews
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Review: Welcome to the Moon by The Exchange Artists
by David Glen Robinson
Published on May 31, 2014
The Exchange Artists’ Hot Nights performance series is here tonight, gone tomorrow. Thesaurus terms such as ephemeral and transitory correctly describe it, but certain qualities of the productions persist in memory. First, producers Rachel Weise and Bridget Farr choose pithy one-act plays, whether comedies or tragedies. Next, the producers recruit the most intense actors they can find to pour themselves into their roles in each play. Lastly, they find excellent musical ensembles to add musical …