See "Down the Drain" before it closes!

It is for gems like these that some of us become addicted to Theater. Like gambling addicts, we continue to attend plays because we never know when there will be another ‘pay-off’ of a fantastic script in combination with great actors and direction. I am thrilled to report that “Down the Drain,” a new play written and directed by Austin’s own A. John Boulanger, is one of those great payoffs. He admits that he wrote this script especially for the featured performers, Martin Burke and Meredith McCall, who have done countless plays together (including Boulanger’s last new piece, “House of Several Stories”). The writer describes this new piece as a “bleak” comedy and I couldn’t find a better description. The first act is so funny, I laughed so hard that I was in tears. Martin Burke pulled out all the stops and rode the emotions of his character like some kind of extreme roller coaster. The second act felt darker and more mysterious, and the audience was unsure whether Burke’s character was rooted in reality or sinking quickly into psychotic paranoia. The ending surprised me, but perhaps you will figure it out faster than I did. Meredith did a great job with her role, and her haunting melodies set the tone nicely at the beginning of the piece. Breanna Stogner also did a fantastic job playing a variety of strong characters with a variety of accents. The set featured a dramatic yet very tasteful bathroom with the most impressive mirrors I have ever seen.
Great job everyone, and the program reports that Boulanger is working on three new scripts slated to premiere in 2012. We in Austin can’t wait!
The play runs through August 28th at Hyde Park Theater. More information here:
http://www.nowplayingaustin.com/event/detail/441348793/Down_the_Drain