The witty, ribald UnderShorts is irreverence done right

By Bill Hirschman | Special Correspondent
Published: Jun 17, 2008

UnderShorts, the new R-rated offshoot of City Theatre's Summer Shorts at the Arsht Center, demonstrates the power of topspin.

The eight short scripts celebrating irreverence are inarguably humorous. But the copious laughter is prompted by imaginative and energetic directors and casts who expertly invest every moment with a little extra English on the ball.

Just watch Erin Joy Schmidt sneak a lustful leer at a well-endowed dummy that has been providing her satisfaction, while at the same time trying to seem apologetic to the dorky ventriloquist who operates the puppet.