Debauchery at the Austin Playhouse

I’ve biked by the back entrance to Penn Field across from St. Edward’s University countless times this semester, and every time I see the Austin Playhouse logo I think it’s some sort of fitness center.

So I was surprised when all of us Hilltop Views journalists gathered there to see a play tonight.  Following a delicious dinner, we sat down to enjoy “Don’t Dress for Dinner,” an over the top comedy that made light of extramarital affairs.

The plotline centered around a British husband’s failed plans to enjoy a weekend with his mistress, and the chaos that ensued when his wife decided to stay in town was disasastrous.  Each of the characters that took the stage had to assume pseudo-roles in order to maintain faithful appearances to their significant others and their other adulterous counterparts.

The delivery of the actors was incredible.  I was continually impressed by their ability to recite increasingly complex, fabricated explanations to their official partners concerning the presence of forbidden lovers.

My only problem with the play was the plot itself.  There was plenty of hilarious parallel dialogue, but eventually it became so intertwined and complex that I could barely keep up.

To be fair, that was obviously the point of the story.  But there’s a point when enough is enough.  I would have left completely satisfied if the story had ended at intermission.

Nevertheless, my first Austin Playhouse experience was an enjoyable one, and since it’s so close to St. Edward’s and so many of its alumni work and perform there, I’m sure we at the Hilltop Views will be on the scene next semester to keep the student body updated on the plays.