←Recommendations of THE PECULIAR MATTER OF THE HAIR ACROSS CYRIL'S ASS

The satirical dialogue of the opening pages - the will to create something out of nothing - is impressive delicious art snobbery with the positive spin. I read amazed and then Seraphina shows up and brings the gallery world down to earth, kind of literally. Enter Cyril, responsible for the third and devastating movement of Craig Houk’s fine play - the will to revile and destroy. This all rings so true. (Probably to many of us randomly reviled and adored dramatists.) Brilliant work! [7-24-26]

Ah, the pretention of art critics, attempting to demonstrate erudition by examining work and finding deep (and verbally incomprehensible) meaning that the artist never intended. The critics in this wonderfully titled play are blubbering idiots, but their attacks on the artist do perhaps irreparable harm to her confidence in her vision and her methods. Another excellent play from the delightfully quirky mind of Craig Houk.

Ah, the tenuous, divisive, self-absorbed and galling world of art criticism. And how insanely pretentious it all can get. Craig Houk is definitely "on to something" with this comedy/satire. As someone who was once a visual artist, I recognize everyone of these people. And laugh at them. And SMDH! Kudos, Craig!

Sure, making fun of pretentious art critics is like shooting fish in a barrel, but Craig Houk brings such an array of firearms to the proceedings that you can't help but be wildly entertained. One revels as Houk's metaphorical pearl-handled revolvers, tommy guns, and bazookas get unleashed on these little swimmers, when suddenly things get real - and ugly - thanks to the odious, titular Cyril -- and what was fun satire turns into a righteous warning about the fickleness of mob judgement.

First and foremost, I love this as an indictment of small-town art aesthetes, who exist and who never fail to entertain. Second, I love this as an illustration of the whirlwind of creation, criticism, recrimination, and ephemerality. The language swings and stings, and the concept is the perfect hook on which to hang a play. I hesitate to say too much, lest I become a character in this world Houk has created, but I enjoyed it from first to last.

This is a hilarious moment that perfectly skewers the world of art that takes itself oh-so-seriously. Craig Houk doesn't miss a beat to show the faux-intellectualism that abounds in the small-minded who desperately have to show off how detached they are from honesty. In other words, they're pompous asses in a small town who wouldn't know good art if it bit them on their ass. Craig labels this as satire and he proves it by making it so close to the truth that it hurts all the right people.