Brett Cullum - Page 8

Tom Stoppard’s THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND captures an urbane wittiness that is simultaneously droll and accessible. It’s a rare script that works on all levels with enough to analyze for the academic, and then slapstick humor to keep the childlike engaged fully. In short, it’s smart fun. It is the kind of piece that MAIN STREET THEATER handles particularly well.

Tamarie is a whirling dervish, a force of nature, and a comedic genius of a performer. She rises to the challenge of playing herself admirably, and it's the kind of role she was born to play. I doubt any other actor or actress in Houston could portray her quite as convincingly.

It is safe to say this is a great festival, and well worth your time over the weekend.  Happy ten years to FADE TO BLACK!  Here’s hoping for many more decades to come.  

What did our critic think? CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG is perfect summer fare for kids, and also for those of us who enjoy a rather crazy car story from the creator of James Bond. It’s a treat to see it here at the MATCH in Midtown, especially with such a strong cast in a handsome production.

In the end they still managed to produce a show that asks the hard questions, never flinches from the truth, and captures perfectly what it means to be human. Imperfections be damned.

INNOMINATE is a mixture of dance, puppets, images on a screen, live music, and daring staging to tell the story of creator Afsaneh Aayani as she immigrated from war torn Iran to the United States. It also deals with the effects of the COVID pandemic and extreme loss. If I told you all of this was illustrated with dancing eyeballs and social media posts whizzing by, would you believe me?

You may know about FROZEN coming to the Hobby Center from Broadway Houston, or the Alley Theatre prepping for a new musical by Duncan Sheik named NOIR… but what are some of the gems out there from smaller companies that offer just as much air conditioning and some of the best acting in Houston? I’ve got you covered with four spotlights if you are interested.

These historic writings are coupled with the company’s signature lively staging and passion. The two present fascinating portraits of the Black community’s experience a hundred years ago, and the surprise is how little has changed.

Catastrophic Theatre’s THE BOOK OF GRACE makes good on the company’s promise of “we will destroy you” in the best way possible. The production is a well-honed punch to the gut that will leave you reeling and provoked.

HAMILTON is a joy to watch, and this cast lives up to the hype of the material they have been entrusted with. Rest assured this is the best way to see the show… live and in person. There is an energy to be shared with the cast and the audience that the COVID era almost made us forget.

It’s a chance to sit in an intimate space with artists who excel at telling a story you will never see in a large opera house or performance hall. A STEADY RAIN is tough, profane, and full of over-the-top masculinity, and yet it feels as progressive as it can be. It asks tough questions, and it makes you uncomfortable with its answers.

Shannon Emerick’s portrayal of Isabelle Arc is the performance on which MOTHER OF THE MAID hinges, and she manifests a miracle consisting of fully-realized characterization and range. Rarely will you see an actress wholly embody a role so fully and disappear completely into another person.

Josephine Baker is a historical figure that is not discussed nearly enough, but one of the joys of the Vincent Victoria company is they make sure attention will be paid.  And they do it with a keen eye for detail, and an honor for the spirit of the lady who lived it.

MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLY is the sort of show that will remind audiences you should do anything but marry without affection.  There is a lot to love in this Christmas play that feels authentically like a gorgeous Christmas coda to PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. 

My advice for TOOTSIE THE MUSICAL is to distance yourself from the original film, and accept they are taking a dated concept and transposing it awkwardly onto today.  You are going for the exquisite comedy performances that surpass the fact that TOOTSIE has not very much to say about gender that seems substantial.

This holiday season Main Street Theater presents an adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's LITTLE HOUSE works called A LITTLE HOUSE CHRISTMAS. The show runs through December 18th, but there will be a special appearance from Ingalls family member R. Lee Ingalls on November 21st.

As an ensemble the players make the most of this work without the usual cast of thousands that the play can sometimes utilize. The way it is all staged I could hear each performer solely during different group times, and everyone was right in the pocket with harmonies and projection.

The show never gets to where it promises to go in the setup, but thanks to a great cast and a gung-ho production team it does entertain.  DARWIN IN MALIBU works great as a light comedy, and it lets the actors showcase their immense skills at creating wonderful characters.

Vincent has always had a certain style all his own, and it is no surprise he makes an engaging host of a black themed variety show.  He holds the audience easily in his grasp, and makes them laugh and squirm all at once.  He’s a whirlwind of energy, and it comes off so good naturedly that by the time you read the underlying rage it is too late. He has you!

BLAQUE TCHERIE makes for an impressive film debut for Vincent Victoria, and it looks like his empire may expand to new mediums.  It’s a funny film with a very sweet message about black women and how they should be perceived.