The Austin Playhouse's, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," a captive tale of betrayal and under-handed scheming, is sure to have you returning to theater to see more.
Les Liaisons Dangereuses, based on Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' 1782 French novel, deals with the turbulent events in French aristocracy society pre-revolution. While it has had many adaptations, this version was of the best I've seen yet. The actors were marvelous, with great charisma and chemistry on stage. The harpischord music was soothing and, where appropriate, rousing. The viewer throughout the play is privy to all conniving events that seem sure to lead to a tragic end. You will find yourself on the edge of your seat the entire duration of the play.
Part of what has made this show such a success is Austin Playhouse's philosophy and work ethic. Begun only eight years ago in 2000, it has a lot to show for its short lifespan. This is due largely to the way in which each person involved with the theater takes great part in the development of each production.
Their actors, many of them from the Actors Equity Association, have perfectly balanced chemistry on stage that stems from their involvement with one another. "We have a company of artists that have worked together for years. They trust and know each other. They inspire each other," said Don Toner, founder of Austin's Playhouse.
Toner also said that theater is run more as a family company than anything else. According to him, actors work alongside the artistic directors, costume designers and set designers. Even his own family is involved, helping with everything from concessions to playing parts in the productions themselves.
It's with everyone's close involvement that the Playhouse has achieved such a large audience over the years. With subscriptions now at 2,000 members, Toner hopes to reach more people in coming years. "Of course we'd love to have more people come see our shows. We'd especially like the support of the younger people in Austin."
This statement is reinforced by that fact that Austin Playhouse sells discounted tickets to students at half-price. For the high quality of the productions, this discount is quite a deal. Though the play was over two and a half hours, it seemed to take, beginning to end, no more than an hour. So engaging was the plot, so attention-grabbing the performance, that one is hardly conscious of the passage of time. Not to mention, the tasty refreshments served keeps one satisfied as well.
If you're looking for something to do that's a little out of your average outing, Austin Playhouse is sure to be a good solution to your dilemma. Located only a mile or so from St. Edward's behind Opal Divine's, it is convenient to access, offers great prices and is sure to entertain.
Les Liaisons Dangereuses will be playing until Feb. 24, and is well worth seeing. Be sure to check out upcoming productions as well, such as Stones in His Pockets, playing at Larry L. King Theater starting Feb. 8, and Blithe Spirit, starting March 28 at Main Stage.
Current showtimes for Liaisons Dangereuses are Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. To buy tickets, call (512) 476-0084.
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1 comment:
This version was the best you've seen yet? How many versions of this have you seen? I've never even heard of it before now.
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