Best Excuse To Throw Food

Rude Mechanicals

When one of Austin's smartest, most irreverent new theatre groups, Rude Mechanicals, staged Jarry's Ubu Roi last year, the idea was to replicate the riot that broke out when French turn-of-the-century audiences saw this groundbreaking absurdist play for the first time. According to Rude principal ShawnSides, the Austin audience let some hair down, yelling and throwing food provided for precisely that purpose. With plans to stage another piece of the Ubu trilogy this December, this may become an annual Christmas tradition for those of us proud to be getting coal in our stockings. And food seems to be a recurring theme for the Mechs. In their Texas transposition of the Chicago and NYC hit 30 Plays in 60 Minutes from Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, the culinary connection continues: "If they sell out, they buy the audience a pizza." Cool.

The Off Center
2211-A Hidalgo, 512/476-7833
www.rudemechs.com