Hub Theatre’s LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE
(through Aug. 3rd) has a trunk full of reasons to get down to the First Church
performance space (corner of Berkeley & Marlborough). This funny, distaff
memory play is neatly hung on the outfits which delineate the shape of our
lives. Yes, that old saw has legs: clothes, evidently, do make the [wo]man. The
entertaining Nora and Delia Ephron script (based on Ilene Beckerman’s book) is
smartly directed by Paula Plum. If you need more encouragement to go, five
talented actresses fit into the stories like they were, well, tailor made. And
every performance is pay what you can! Talk about designer theater!
Even though the comedy plants its tongue
firmly in its cheek, the observations are deliciously spot on—especially the
inner dialogues the women have with themselves: “I can’t find anything in my
closet. I have to clean out my closet…I have nothing to wear!” (Yes, it’s a
cliché but we really do think it, often!) Who wouldn’t giggle (self
consciously) when the play suggests that our purses are the windows to our
souls! Men will see the show and inevitably laugh at us. Women will see it and
laugh at ourselves.
Who could resist the fabulous Theresa
Chaisson mourning the loss of that perfect, irreplaceable shirt…or Adobuere
Ebiama’s potentially crippling decision: Heels or Birkenstocks? Then there’s June
Kfoury’s wonderful compendium of dubious motherly advice (“Never wear velvet
before Rosh Hashanah”). Or their collective choices in men, like
Lauren Elias’ instant attraction for the guy at the Halloween party with a
chain saw through his torso…or Linda Goetz’ lovely salad days with a charming
convict. Sweet stuff!
The satire is hilarious. The serious stuff
felt, to me, like it was there to give the play weight. That said, Linda Goetz
plays the heck out of her two tragic monologues. See it for Goetz’ tour de
force and for the charismatic Chaisson. See it for all the women. To borrow a
phrase from Rod Stewart: They wear it well.
P.S. Bring some gently worn clothes with you to donate to charity after
the show.
