Recent Reviews
Review #2 of 2: Mack and Mabel, A Musical Love Story by Alchemy Theatre Company, Austin
by Brian Paul Scipione
Published on June 03, 2022
The story of Mack and Mabel is not often told but it is a story as old as Hollywood itself, full of goals and aspirations as big as the letters of the famous Hollywood sign. And as with many Greek myths, the higher one reaches for dreams, the farther there is to fall.
Mack and Mabel opened on Broadway in 1974, garnered eight Tony nominations, and closed after only eight weeks. It is known for the songs “I Won’t Send Roses,” “I Promise You a Happy Ending," and "Hundreds of Girls" which were composed by Jerry Herman, who also brought the world La Cage aux Folles and Hello, Dolly! The musical was written by Michal Stewart, known for Bye Bye Birdie, Carnival!, and 42nd Street. The debut …
Review: Dot by Colman Domingo, Ground Floor Theatre
by Justin M. West
Published on May 31, 2022
Colman Domingo's flawed script for DOT and Lisa B. Thompson's direction hinder, over-shout the talents onstage.
The Ground Floor Theatre has a solid reputation for producing progressive and thought-provoking pieces. The last show I reviewed here, Some Humans Were Harmed…, left a lasting impression on me in a way that few have. So, too, did writer Lisa B. Thompson’s prior production, The Mamalogues, though I failed spectacularly to produce a review. I was therefore beyond disappointed to find that Thompson’s work as a director on Coloman Doming's Dot so widely misses the mark. …
Review: The Magnificent Conjuring of You and Me by Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company
by David Glen Robinson
Published on May 29, 2022
Kathy Dunn Hamrick has carved out a niche for herself of high-energy, high skill, athletic contemporary dance. her audiences appreciate every new and surprising turn the company takes within it.
Kathy Dunn Hamrick speaks the language of movement better than most. This was stated about her in regard to last December’s In Situ dance performance, also at Café Dance. In that performance, stemming from the title, the movement addressed place and places—all familiar places—transformed by the pandemic. They were recognized anew in a process of metamorphosis, dancers hatching literally from bubble-wrap cocoons and finding new life after the dark restrictions of our collective confinement. …
Review: A League of Her Own by Bottle Alley Theatre Company
by Justin M. West
Published on May 20, 2022
"That was one of the best performances I have ever seen," I told Abby Ferree, the solo protagonist. I stand by that. "You're amazing," I told director Allison Price.I regret not finding better words for an unforgettable and transformative experience.
For years I have maintained, as I likely always will, that theatre is not and should never be a "safe space." I am not referring to the creation process, of course. The creation of a piece, from its inception to its rehearsals and performances, should absolutely be a safe space for all involved. The safety of performers and those supporting them is paramount. But the art, itself? The ideas and emotions it evokes and …
Review: Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Zach Theatre
by Michael Meigs
Published on May 15, 2022
One particular attraction of MR. HATCH, particularly for family audiences is a clever reversal of roles. Here, it's the young narrator who becomes the coach and encourager to the despondent adult.
Allen Robertson has delivered a gentle miracle at the Zach Theatre with his adaptation of Eileen Spinelli's 1991 picture book Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch. Three well-known and admired adult actors are matched by the lively young character Melanie Todd, played by a rotation of three young women from Zach's theatre program. The production takes places in the Kleberg Theatre, configured as a theatre-in-the-square, around which the audience find themselves up close and personal. …
Review: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by City Theatre Company
by Brian Paul Scipione
Published on May 14, 2022
I always wonder if Albee suggests that this night of mayhem is a once-in-a lifetime experience of Martha and George play this routine every chance they get. I now know that I, for one, am afraid of Virginia Woolf.
One of the commonplace declarations about the perpetually popular plays of Shakespeare is that his subjects are timeless. Another view, less often proposed, is the simple observation that they are really good (despite sometimes being something of a slog for modern audiences). Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is exactly that. Describe the play as you will—wonderful, exceedingly clever, intellectually moving, disturbing, daunting, outright scary—but at its core it is very high quality. It is …