Billed as a one woman play with music, this show veers much further into Musical Theatre than I expected, although the songs can’t be claimed to advance the plot. That’s not the fault of the songs, but rather a narrative that is unclear. It jumps around in time and place - fine - but nothing really happens. It is simultaneously not a meditation on any one topic, or exploration into the postdramatic.
It is unfortunate, because all of the individuals creating the work are clearly very skilled at what they do — the underscoring from live bassist and keyboard are exceptional, the lighting design clever (if not altogether aligned with the action), the performer highly skilled as a singer and dancer, the choreographer creating intricacy. . . but somehow none of these elements mesh together into a cohesive moment or succession of moments.
I might be biased, but it felt as through there was an absence of a dramaturgical hand in the writing, which carried through to the production.