Recent Reviews
Review: No Exit by Poison Apple Initiative
by Michael Meigs
Published on July 05, 2009
Rommel Sulit was syllable-clear throughout, but I foundthat Helyn Rain Messenger and, to a lesser extent, Jen Brown were not inflecting their texts sufficiently to establish beats of action.
With a sort of purposeful negligence, I have long avoided some of the leading French writers of the twentieth century. Existentialism enjoyed a vogue both in literature and in philosophy when I was at university, but I didn't care for its dour aspects. Mine was a deliberately uninformed prejudice, the sort that is likely to perpetuate itself comfortably for a lifetime. Less than a decade after that, we lived for two difficult years in Oran, …
Review: Teacher, Teacher by Loaded Gun Theory
by Michael Meigs
Published on July 03, 2009
The setting recalls many another farce, movie or situation comedy set in a work environment. Define your characters, set 'em to bounce off one another under stress, give 'em unexpected surprises, and let it rip.
Max Langert writes dialogue that pops and crackles, not just for the jokes but also because it springs from the characters. They speak to one another in the quick shorthand of coworkers under stress. Folks who know one another, perhaps too well. They can telegraph their messages, and they can needle one another persistently in an effort to keep a chaotic situation on track. There's no time or patience for introspection in the teachers' lounge …
Review: Rooms, a re-imagning of Chekhov's 'The Three Sisters' by Secondhand Theatre
by Michael Meigs
Published on June 28, 2009
Rooms was an unexpected opportunity to inhabit Chekhov's 'The Three Sisters' on Sunday evenings in June. The announcement -- more of an invitation, really -- was to visit the Prozorov family at their estate, between Acts II and III of 'The Three Sisters.'
Rooms was an unexpected opportunity to inhabit Chekhov's The Three Sisters for a short time on Sunday evenings in June. The announcement -- more of an invitation, really -- was to visit the Prozorov family at their estate, between Acts II and III of The Three Sisters. Perhaps this piece originated as exercises for the MFA program at the University of Texas. We have seen each of these six vibrant actors elsewhere in town, both …
Review: The Comedy of Errors by Young Shakespeare Troupe
by Michael Meigs
Published on June 27, 2009
This is a cheerful and effective production, fully in keeping with the high standards of the sponsoring organization. At the post-play discussion it was clear from the actors' comments that director Matt Radford's tough love approach was valued.
Playing Shakespeare is art but it is also craft, and there's no better way to learn both aspects than by studying and rehearsing under the guidance of a knowledgeable teacher. Austin Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors illustrates that dictum and provides fine summer evening delights at the Curtain Theatre. The lively young company has been forced by the unusually brutal heat to cancel two afternoon matinees -- both Saturday and Sunday. But don't hesitate to …
Review: The Odd Couple by The Georgetown Palace Theatre
by Michael Meigs
Published on June 24, 2009
Simon makes it funny by taking both partners to the extremes of personality and by giving Felix many attributes more characteristic of a woman. Back in the 1960s that was an even bigger laugh than it is now.
Touchstone themes for the Georgetown Palace Theatre are "fun" and "familiar." Probably the most affectionately remembered piece of Neil Simon's 40-year career, The Odd Couple fits both themes exactly. Slobby Oscar Madison and meticulous Felix Ungar are seated firmly in the American consciousness. Simon's play opened on Broadway in 1965 and appeared as a film in 1968. It ran for five years as a television show, 1970-1975. ABC cancelled it at the end of every …
Review: Killer Joe by Capital T Theatre
by Michael Meigs
Published on June 22, 2009
Brooding unhappily over this show for the past four days, I gradually came to the conclusion that playwright Tracy Letts has produced an exercise in degenerate art.
I knew that this one was going to scare us to death. I didn't get there early in the run but I saw that the reviews were popping up in the media and on line.My rule is not to read the reviews until after I've seen the production and written about it. My ticket was for last Thursday night.Thursdays are often down-time for Austin theatre, but this show was packing 'em in. There's no standing …