Writer and performer Keara Barnes shares a deeply personal story in her one woman show Almost A Stepmom. Embodying a total of 5 (five!!) characters with distinct voice and physicality, she shares her true life experiences of moving to Ireland and falling in love. Her work as an actor is really great, however despite a great story, the script itself feels a touch over-written, and could benefit from a bit more simplicity in the telling of it. The show falls in the trap of the one-person performance where the actor moves in physical spaces back and forth to talk to themselves, which is really too bad; the material, and the performer are stronger than that. Toward the end of the play, Barnes' writing shifts stylistically to us hearing only half a conversation, and smoother transitions between characters, and that is when it really begins to work.
Overall a strong performer, and good story, but it could use a bit of direction and dramaturgy.