Reviews for La Fenice Performances
Review: SPEAK NO MORE: CONTAGION by La Fenice
by Brian Paul Scipione
Published on October 18, 2025
Definitely an enjoyable night of theater, like watching a rock and roll concert in a foreign language: visceral, experiential, and utterly incoherent.
La Fenice (Italian for The Phoenix) was originally founded in 1999 as the Austin Commedia Society. They are a modern commedia dell'arte troupe based on Italian theatrical convention that originated more than five hundred years ago. Commedia dell'arte (roughly, comedy of professional artists) is known for combing scripted and improvised elements, physical comedy, stock scenarios, and archetypical or even stereotypical characters. It was often done with satirical intent, most often taking aim at class hierarchy. …
Review: Stygian Crossing by La Fenice
by David Glen Robinson
Published on July 18, 2020
La Fenice elevates improvisational work and applies it in Stygian Crossing, giving the series a strong patchwork-quilt impression and a sense of Forrest Gump’s chocolate box.
Austin remains shut down. As at the beginning of the viral plague, the arts community has suffered disproportionately from government-imposed restrictions as well as the virus. Dancers and actors cannot rehearse in groups, and they cannot perform on stage before an audience; their art is denied. But creatives wiggle, squirm, and create anyway. Austin theatres have all seemingly jumped into online programming to adapt to the creatively chafing restrictions. The most accessible idea has been …