By Ernest Kearney — Melissa Greenspan’s one-woman show, I confess, was a hard sell for me. What can I say? I’ve experienced my own form of “China Syndrome” meltdown with shows about “My dog died, after I came out, recovering from brain cancer, as I made it in Hollywood despite all men suck, by the way guns don’t kill people, parents do.”
Some would say, I should be more open to performances that are sincere expressions by the artistic community of the Hollywood Fringe; I would reply in return, “Go screw yourself after first reviewing 2,000 plus Fringe shows.”
But curse Writer/Performer Greenspan and Director Guy Picot for beating this very dead horse with such abundant infusions of talent and craft that I nearly ran from the theater bellowing in the fashion of Victor Frankenstein, “It’s alive! It’s alive!”
Greenspan’s tale of a mom awash in insecurity on the eve of her child’s entry into womanhood is secure in an intelligent, adroitly spun script beautifully performed; while Picot, with a deft hand, makes sure there is a minimum of “furniture” to be bumped into, as he adds highlights of both subtle and expert application.
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B+ Mom: An Enthusiastic Guide To Imperfect Parenting
Staged and Performed During The Hollywood Fringe Festival 2024
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