The year is 1872, the setting is London, and the bet was made at exactly 8:55pm for 20,000 pounds. Or, at least that's how our practical, punctual main character Phileas Fogg would describe the scene. Fogg, a logical and calculated gentleman is willing to bet his entire fortune on the latest claim t... (more...)
In the theatre world, your first time seeing Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA! is essentially a rite of passage. You either love it or you don't-and the pendulum can swing either direction depending on the actors, designers, and director's choices. Ever since I sat in my Survey of Musical Theatre cl... (more...)
JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN does what 4th Wall Theatre Company does best: explore valid, thought-provoking, true stories that linger on your mind for days following.... (more...)
THE MOORS seeks to say something about the visibility and state of women today through the lens of satirizing Victorian era romantic literature like JANE EYRE, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, or THE WOMAN IN WHITE. I am not sure it wholly achieves what it sets out to do, but it certainly has a lot of fun along t... (more...)
Originally conceived by playwright Young Jean Lee, it was performed as spoken word broken up by punk rock songs about pain and death. Somehow performer Alli Villines has turned it into a ukulele folk festival! But I ask dear reader, what could be more punk rock than a collection of named ukuleles pl... (more...)
This is an intense drama exploring the depths of a man who feels ostracized by a group that is already shunned by society. It's a play about loneliness and deathwishes that spiral out of control.... (more...)
OLEANNA demands to be seen again, and The Landing Theatre Company has just the right chops to bring it to life at 14 Pews. It feeds off the intimate space, and they have found two actors who have the energy to deliver the message at the right pitch to make the audience squirm.... (more...)
Ambition, love, why we do the things we do, all of these topics get drawn out into the ether between the jokes and name-dropping. It's a deep piece despite it just being a rave and rant about a famous lady who hoards her stuff.... (more...)
LOVE NEVER DIES is an unmitigated disaster of epic proportions. The show is a study of what happens when someone in power values consumerism over content. It is a production propelled by run-amuck theatrical vanity, seemingly produced with the single intention of filling seats, backed by a marquee n... (more...)
Neil Simon's GOD'S FAVORITE does what I believe good theatre is intended to do: take a multifaceted, complex topic and present it in a humanized, relatable, and entertaining manner. This can take many forms, and GOD'S FAVORITE pinpoints perhaps one of my favorite forms of theatrical communication: f... (more...)
This iteration of the Tamarie Cooper Show explores the leading lady's emotional baggage, battle against minor depression, and all of the discarded bad ideas that the troop has come up with when they were in line at 4am at Taco Bell. In other words, business as usual for Tamarie and her cast of usual... (more...)
Never before have I stepped into a theatre, seen the curtain rise, and then heard the familiar notes of Kelis' 'Milkshake' ring out from the stage. While this song seems out of place for a theatrical context, The Ensemble Theatre's SISTAS showcases a home for it onstage, along with over thirty other... (more...)
Despite its flaws, it's hard not to enjoy GUYS & DOLLS. The music is infectious, and the characters are memorable. This production isn't perfect, nor is it a rendition of the old classic; some attendees are bound to be startled or surprised by the modern twists. But if you know what you're getting g... (more...)
STRANGERER things take place at the 2004 presidential debate, when President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry decide to murder PBS newsman and debate moderator Jim Lehrer. Absurdist playwright Mickle Maher's funny and farcical reimagining of the debate is as ambitious conceptually as it is com... (more...)
JIM LEHRER AND THE THEATER AND ITS DOUBLE AND JIM LEHRER'S DOUBLE is strange, evocative, terrifying, and hilarious. For audiences seeking something out of the ordinary, for those who welcome intellectual challenges, and for folks who want a really big laugh, buy a ticket today.... (more...)
In this age of whiz bang computer generated spectacles like STAR WARS or the AVENGERS, it's nice to sit down and take science fiction back to its roots. REPLICA aims at the human condition, and recreates it a little too perfectly to make anybody comfortable. ... (more...)
What can one say about a 90-minute play in which every other line is a punch line, and the plot really doesn't matter? I guess I'll find out.... (more...)
Within the first few seconds of Kim Tobin-Lehl's amusingly frenzied entrance onto the 4th Wall stage in SHAKESPEARE IN VEGAS, one word immediately crossed my mind-'authentic'. For the subsequent two-hour performance, authenticity remained to be a theme present in the developed characters, the feel-g... (more...)
There is no other company in Houston that is better equipped to handle his material, and this production cements that with ease. It is presented with a casual decadence that perfectly captures the world of the black American musician during this time.... (more...)
THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL has officially joined the ranks as one of my all-time favorite musicals. Set on 'this side of the tracks,' the show will steal your heart and make your face hurt with laughter.... (more...)
Following a striking 150 Houston premieres, delivering top-notch, relevant, contemporary theater that spanned a variety of genres to the Houston area, Theatre LaB Houston recently opened their final production of Richard Bean's KISS ME.... (more...)
The play presents an interesting dilemma - what if genetic testing advanced enough that you could tell your baby was going to be gay? Would a straight couple still be willing to have it?... (more...)
HAMILTON is inarguably fantastic. It is extraordinary in its ability to cross every boundary and connect with audiences from every background. It is a masterpiece, a true work of art. It is visually stunning, musically astounding and, from top to bottom, the very definition of theatrical greatness.... (more...)
The quiet semi-autobiographical drama gives harsh treatment to narrow interpretations of family as well as those who see the pain and suffering of another human being as an opportunity for a good story.... (more...)
BWW Review: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS Is Your Imagination Personified at A.D. Players
BWW Review: Theatre Under the Stars' 50th Anniversary Season Celebrates Houston As Home With OKLAHOMA
BWW Review: JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN Wrestles With Truth at 4th Wall Theatre Company
BWW Review: THE MOORS muddles through at Mildred's Umbrella
BWW Review: WE'RE GONNA DIE makes it all better at Horse Head Theatre Company
BWW Review: PORCELAIN bravely cruises at The Caduceus Theater Arts Company
BWW Review: OLEANNA provokes at The Landing Theatre Company
BWW Review: BUYER AND CELLAR dazzles at Main Street Theater
BWW Review: No Love for Andrew Lloyd Webber's LOVE NEVER DIES
BWW Review: GOD'S FAVORITE Highlights Faith & the Human Condition at A.D. PLAYERS
BWW Review: THE TAMARIE COOPER SHOW FIELD TRIP! is a busolad of fun at Catastrophic Theatre
BWW Review: SISTAS the Musical Showcases Strength & Soul at The Ensemble Theatre
BWW Review: A Darker SWAN LAKE Glides Onto Houston's Jones Hall Stage
BWW Review: A Modern Twist on the Classic Tale - GUYS & DOLLS at Theatre Under the Stars
BWW Review: STRANGERER Things on Stage at The Catastrophic Theatre
BWW Review: JIM LEHRER AND THE THEATER AND ITS DOUBLE AND JIM LEHRER'S DOUBLE - Double the Jims, Double the Fun
BWW Review: REPLICA creates a great copy at Stages Repertory Theatre
BWW Review: The Alley's PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE is an intellectual 'Laff Riot'.
BWW Review: SHAKESPEARE IN VEGAS Delivers Authenticity & Hilarity at 4th Wall Theatre Company
BWW Review: MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM is pitch perfect at Ensemble Theatre
BWW Review: Stages' GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL Is the Most Fun You've Had in a Long Time
BWW Review: KISS ME Explores Interaction & Attraction at Theatre LaB Houston
BWW Review: Theatre Suburbia Revives THE TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS
BWW Review: HAMILTON Hits Houston and Blows Us All Away
BWW Review: THE REVISIONIST Reaffirms History and Family
