Recent Reviews
Review: The School for Scandal by The Vortex Repertory Theatre
by Michael Meigs
Published on August 01, 2008
Brenna Pritchard, also a talented song-writer, has an animated valentine-shaped face framed with a flapper’s short bob. Hayley Armstrong, with ingenious expression and mime, slithers herself into an entirely convincing sn
Summer theatre programs for young persons are wonderful. I got my own start treading the boards in just such an enterprise. The Vortex Repertory in east Austin has run its tuition-free program for 13- to 17-year-old actors since 1991. The theatre has racked up awards and the participating students have gotten their own rewards, intrinsic and experiential. For this production of Sheridan’s School for Scandal the company of 14 actors worked with Vortex resident artists Betsy McCann and Gabriel …
Review: Romeo and Juliet & Antony and Cleopatra by Shakespeare at Winedale
by Michael Meigs
Published on July 27, 2008
Not until Kate Attwell opened her balcony window to the night that the play could catch its breath. Her language was superb, each word motivated, sounding spontaneous, playful and unhurried.
We drove out from Austin on Friday afternoon along route 71 as if we were headed for Houston, but we stopped 70 miles out at La Grange to check in to our undistinguished motel room. Then we ate a fine and inexpensive “early bird” dinner at the Bistro 108, at the southwest corner of Courthouse Square. From there, it was a 16-mile drive through rolling green hills with forest and farmland, a dog-leg right at Round …
Review: The Clean House by Zach Theatre
by Michael Meigs
Published on July 24, 2008
“The Clean House” is a box of chocolates laced with belladonna. One might taste and enjoy it just once, without harm, but one is tempted to dip into that box again and again.
Everyone in the full house at the Whisenhunt Stage at the Zach Scott enjoyed this four-actor comedy by Sarah Ruhl, winner in 2006 of a MacArthur “genius” fellowship.I was lucky to be able to see the show at all. As a newcomer to the Zach Scott, I had assumed that the reduced prices for Wednesday evening shows were intended to scrape up an audience – after all, almost none of the other companies in town …
Review: Henry V by Red Then Productions
by Michael Meigs
Published on July 08, 2008
Faires walked into the playing area, causing a hush that appeared to embarrass him. "Oh, please go on talking!" He was too near the sacred space for us to feel at ease.
We arrived on that hot Saturday July 4 afternoon at the Off Center to be greeted by Barbara Chisholm and a cup of champagne.Stepping from the heat and dazzle into the cool dimness of the theatre, we found ourselves face-to-face with Robert Faires himself. He greeted us, welcomed us, and accompanied us to our choice of seats. In that small assembly we saw faces familiar to us from Austin's stages.A woman of handsome, striking appearance …
Review: Romeo and Juliet by Sam Bass Community Theatre
by Michael Meigs
Published on June 27, 2008
And the pauses! This cast shows us their feelings and evolving thoughts by using pauses for thought and silent communication, an art all too rare among actors playing the unabridged texts.
The Romeo and Juliet now playing at the Sam Bass Community Theatre in Round Rock is a slim, silvery production that clocks in at just about two hours. Thanks to director Lynn Beaver for taking on the challenge of doing tragedy with this group of dedicated community players, many of whom have taken on multiple management roles to keep this theatre vital. Housed in a simple structure that once served as a Union Pacific depot for …
Review: Petra's Sueño
by Michael Meigs
Published on June 09, 2008
The plot is light and builds a narrative with comic, illogical developments, in which the bad guys are caricatures of wickedness, as in the best vaudeville (in good groundling fashion, I was tempted at times to boo or hiss but I contained myself).
First of all, though Rupert Reyes and his Teatro Vivo assure you that this is a “bilingual comedy,” their generous-hearted Petra’s Sueño is in fact written more than 90% in English. The meaning of virtually every syllable of the Spanish dialogue is made clear by restatement in English, in context or in mime. You could speak not a word of Spanish and yet still capture everything; and if you do understand Spanish, this confection is more …