It's becoming increasingly rare to find a true musical comedy on stage. Sure, there's plenty of satire, plenty of serious musicals with funny moments, but the true goofy, ribald, laugh-em-ups are a dying breed. Luckily, Something Rotten! provides just the laughs you're looking for, with a comical look at 1590s England, and two men making … Continue reading Humor and spectacle take center stage in Broadway Across America’s ‘Something Rotten’
When I first walked in to Austin Playhouse's Sense and Sensibility, I expected a pleasant, if dry, evening of Austen-esque wit. When the actors burst on to the scene, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" blaring through the theater and chairs wheeling around the stage, I knew this was something truly different. Playwright Kate Hammill's … Continue reading Austin Playhouse’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’ a lively, joyful adaptation of the Austen classic
From the first time they staged "Body Awareness", Annie Baker plays have become a regular event at Hyde Park Theatre, and each time they're one of the highlights of the season. To see Ken Webster direct a Baker play is to watch a master at his best, and now audiences get a chance to do … Continue reading Cast chemistry shines in Hyde Park’s ‘John’
There are certain plays that hold a special place not just in the world of theatre, but in the public conscience. Tartuffe, Romeo and Juliet, The Cherry Orchard, A Doll's House: all of these have become cultural touchstones as much as performance pieces.. With this esteem also comes a challenge for anyone daring to put … Continue reading Austin Playhouse provides a smartly directed, boldly performed ‘Salesman’
One of the greatest wonders of theatre is being surprised. When I first heard of "Neva", the story of a group of actors, including Chekhov's widow, rehearsing against the background of the Russian Revolution, I expected something polished, staid. Instead, Theatre en Bloc's production is full of power and humor in equal measure, drawing us … Continue reading “Neva” is a fine farce with a powerful message
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