Recent Reviews
Review: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by City Theatre Company
by David Glen Robinson
Published on April 24, 2022
City Theatre's production Edward Albee's four-character masterpiece begins with an absurdist trope that sets a framework for the aches, pains, and humanity portrayed by the talented cast.
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is Edward Albee’s 1962 mind-bending and reality-warping play about the nasty interiors of marriages when pretense falls away and somebody, anybody, takes a wrench to the machinery that just sits there smoking. If it explodes, it will scar your retinas. That’s the effect the actors strive for, anyway. Albee plays are always good for that. Wear shades. The play is canonical of the twentieth century Age of Anxiety period, an …
Review: The Lion King by touring company
by Brian Paul Scipione
Published on April 24, 2022
Reflections by a reviewer who's never seen THE LION KING: visually impressive, a light-hearted romp well designed for kids (and the kids within adults). Mesrmerizing, occasionally over long, often hilarious.
The Lion King really needs no introduction. The original, a 1994 animated film, was an enormous success both domestically and internationally. Featuring songs by Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice and a musical score by Hans Zimmer, it was released during a time known as the Disney Renaissance. The voicework was done by an all-star cast including Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Rowan Atkinson, and Whoopi Goldberg. Yet although it was …
Review: The Comedy of Errors by The Baron's Men
by Michael Meigs
Published on April 16, 2022
Director Michael Osborn's blocking puts plenty of spin on the characters of THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. It's a bit like a Feydeau farce, without the lechery!
Shakespeare probably wrote The Comedy of Errors in 1594, making it one of his earliest works, but it wasn't published until 1623. He crafted his script with lots of plot elements from Latin author Plautus's Menaechmi (The Brothers Menaechmus)—twin brothers separated at an early age, a comic servant, a jealous wife who mistakes one brother for another, a quack doctor who attempts to cure one brother from supposed insanity, tokens and money given to or …
Review: Selfie, the Musical by Vortex Repertory Theatre
by Rick Perkins
Published on April 11, 2022
The powerhouse band of four players and singers, along with the superb cast of four, made SELFIE, this grooving ensemble, rock the house at the Vortex in Austin!
The title alone made me want to see this show. Got it. Selfies, we all have shared them, all too often. Just today at my weekly Friday meal with my golf buddies, I posted my lunch Especial of Chicken Enchiladas. I was certain the world wanted to see how sophisticated and luxurious my measly wasted life is these days, hey looky: #Enchiladas, Livin’ Large, ya Losers! I felt victorious then; now I’m hiding in horrors …
Review: 9 to 5, the Musical by Georgetown Palace Theatre
by Rick Perkins
Published on April 11, 2022
Who hasn’t seen the hilarious movie starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin? Office politics, boorish behaviors and sweet revenge among dear friends, all rolled into a confection of tasty fun for the ages. Dolly Parton sure has hit pay-dirt with her stage musical adaptation, even making an appearance via the large projection onstage. She guides us into the story and comes back for a well deserved encore to send everyone home singing the …
Review: Terminator, the musical by Fallout Theatre
by Rick Perkins
Published on April 11, 2022
Having never seen the TERMINATOR movies this clever campy romp is based upon didn’t affect my enjoyment a bit. Very impressive on so many audacious levels.
99.9% Monty! There’s a headline for online hits. I’d give huge Kudos to the clever costumes, but where to put them?! Standing outside the very well named Hidden Room Theatre last night waiting to get in, I listened to dozens of people who were down right giddy about seeing this campy fun over the top musical gem. Several had already seen it and now brought large groups of friends. Those are the honest critic’s opinions …