Recent Reviews
Review: The Lion King by touring company
by Michael Meigs
Published on January 13, 2013
Director Julie Taymore and her imaginative cast and crew created from Disney's animated film something rarely seen on the American stage: a coming-of-age fable that's equal parts ballet, operetta, puppet show and sugarplum dream.
The Gazelle touring company of Disney's The Lion King has settled into the cavernous Bass Concert Hall at the University of Texas. The place was filled for the official opening, and the crowd wasn't disappointed. This imaginative spectacle delighted us all with its puppetry, dancing and heroics. I knew the movie, but I'd never seen the stage production. Now I understand the enthusiasm that has greeted this piece since its 1997 debut in Minneapolis and …
Review: White Christmas by Zach Theatre
by Michael Meigs
Published on December 20, 2012
So here's your choice: the Zach Theatre production as Christmas comfort food, done with energy and not a trace of irony (yes, there are snowflakes swirling down for the finale) or the 1954 movie. By the way, the film was done in Technicolor. And it has Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor.
The Zach Theatre throws everything it's got at White Christmas, and it shows. Nick Demos' inventive choreography is on display; Allen Robertson conducts a vigorous nine-piece orchestra tucked out of sight beneath the stage; invited stars Matthew Redden and Matt Gibson make a plausible buddy team, even though they don't much resemble Bing and Donald. Our Meredith McCall is there as the older, wiser and more angular of the hoofin' Haynes Sisters nightclub act, and …
Review: The Santaland Diaries by Zach Theatre
by Michael Meigs
Published on December 18, 2012
Sedaris' text is smug and sarcastic, an appropriate antidote to all the sugar swirlilng around at this time of year, but Martin Burke himself is the reason to go see the supposed sayanora performances.
Zach Theatre Artistic Director Dave Steakley says that this is the last time -- for a while -- they'll stage David Sedaris' The Santaland Diaries. This is the 15th (!) season they've done it, so perhaps it's time, but if like me you had abstained from attending this holiday ritual, it's time to swing on board before the caboose gets out of reach. The program states that Martin Burke has been doing his role as …
Review: CL(100)49(P) by Rude Mechs
by Michael Meigs
Published on December 16, 2012
One understands that this cake hasn't yet been baked. A central feature of the Rudes' methodology is to run their creative imaginings repeatedly with different audiences and different creative participants until somehow the scenes coalesce.
The Rude Mechanicals ran a workshop performance of some of a new and as yet unnamed piece last Friday at their Off Center stage behind Joe's Bakery in east Austin. They charged nothing to attend the single staging, but prospective attendees had to sign up through an on-line service for the gratis tickets. All available seats were reserved well ahead of time. The printed program was enigmatic, a single sheet with unexplained designs thrust into …
Review: The Attic Space by Palindrome Theatre (2010-2013)
by Michael Meigs
Published on December 13, 2012
The Attic Space troubled me and haunted my wee hours; I wanted more from it. Thanks for the opportunity to be vexed!
Nigel, this is stupid stuff. There, now, I've said it. You and your friends of Palindrome have made arresting, sometimes astounding art in the three years that you promised yourselves for the experiment after your graduation from the theatre program at St. Ed's. You have shown yourself to be an impressive actor and promoter of our dear, beloved and commercially moribund art of live theatre, gathering award nominations and recognition along the way. You made …
Review: It's A Wonderful Life, a Live Radio Play by Penfold Theatre Company
by Michael Meigs
Published on December 04, 2012
Penfold's It's A Wonderful Life is a charmer and a thoroughly feel-good performance, particularly recommended for the holiday season.
Frank Capra's film It's A Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart captured the yearning, optimism and nostalgia for small-town U.S.A. in 1946, a time when millions of American men were returning from the war. The film made an unpromising start and was considered something of a failure in its first release, but yearly television showings of this black-and-white tale of redemption and grace set it deeply into our collective consciousness. Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed as his …