Recent Reviews
Review: Small Mouth Sounds by Capital T Theatre
by David Glen Robinson
Published on May 24, 2018
The characters in this silence-obligatory experience are immensely diverse but denied the luxury of getting-to-know-you chat. We see a lot of informal signing, pantomime, role-playing, charades, and utter frustration. The funniest moments are when missed messages cause meltdowns.
Small Mouth Sounds by Bess Wohl, now playing at Hyde Park Theatre, is one of those small-scale modern plays that compete for stage space in 21st century American regional theatre. That quality may make the play difficult to see in the lush forest of contemporary plays, but it has the quirky originality that Capital T Theatre loves to spy out. Hence the current production. The characters don’t know each other (except the lesbian …
Review: Becky's New Car by Gaslight Baker Theatre
by Randi Spears
Published on May 24, 2018
The many laugh-out-loud moments in the GBT's production alternate with “oh no!” exclamations from the audience as suspense builds. It’s a beautiful telling of a modern tale of love with a message: home is indeed where the heart is.
Becky’s New Car at the Gaslight Baker Theatre in Lockhart is a beautiful blend of comedy and tragedy. This production takes you gently by the hand and guides you down a winding, heartstring-pulling path of “what ifs.” From the moment the lights come up, Becky Foster invites you to observe her life and hear her story. Throughout it she silently pleads that you not judge her choices too harshly. Becky has hit midlife, burdened …
Review: Seminar by Jarrott Productions
by Michael Meigs
Published on May 17, 2018
SEMINAR is not just a rant; Rebeck's too good a playwright for that. There is satisfying development of the characters and a story arc neatly tied up by the end. And even a little redemption for the wicked Leonard.
Last month we took a full day of our Chicago trip to drive to Oak Park, a western suburb, to visit the Frank Lloyd Wright house, now a museum, and to stroll the neighborhood where many of his striking early designs were constructed. The tour guide and info at the museum and workshop described and displayed Wright's genius and recounted his life. Afterward our daughter turned to us with a deeply offended expression. "He …
Review: Cry It Out by Theatre en Bloc
by Brian Paul Scipione
Published on May 05, 2018
Theatre en Bloc consistently illustrates a ‘don’t back down’ ethos in all their productions, and CRY IT OUT is another great example of this. For those who like theatre that inspires conversation as well as entertains: this production is for you.
“We're connected, as women. It's like a spiderweb. If one part of that web vibrates, if there's trouble, we all know it, but most of the time we're just too scared, or selfish, or insecure to help. But if we don't help each other, who will?” -Sarah Addison Allen When one is trying to capture the spirit of a play in a review it is convenient to look for a salient moment in the …
Review: The Book of Mormon by touring company
by Justin M. West
Published on April 24, 2018
If you have yet to see this show, you owe it to yourself. The laughs come fast and furious and straight from the gut, with hardly a moment to spare.
In 2010, you’d have been forgiven for laughing at the suggestion that the 2011 Tony Award winner for Best Musical would discuss such scholarly subjects as magical sex frogs, scrotal parasites, and why one should probably not attempt to engage in coitus with an infant. But, after its premiere in 2011, The Book of Mormon did just that, and had its audiences crying with laughter in the process. The brainchild of South Park creators …
Review: Ragtime by Texas State University
by Michael Meigs
Published on April 21, 2018
If you missed this RAGTIME, take heart. As astonishingly impressive as was this production of Ragtime and as heart-breaking was the shortness of its formal run, Texas State under the leadership of Ms Hopkins is bound to go from strength to strength.
"They're running only six performances?" Karen exclaimed afterwards. "That's a crime!" All right, that reaction was a bit exaggerated, but it captures what the Texas State musical theatre people have done: by building the program over the past decade, the school has assembled an artistic critical mass that allows it to fill and paint the stage with such an overabundance of talent that their productions, including this one of the epic musical Ragtime, would …