Motherhood Out Loud

Oct 2, 2011 – matinee;  59E59 theatre

Not a play, but a recital of essays for the most part.  There is some interaction among the characters, but it is mostly monologs.  Well written and delivered, not really this reviewer’s cup of tea, but well done, I’ll give them that.There is a funny piece where a couple adopts a Chinese baby and the child wishes she had come from her adoptive mother’s stomach.  Touching, if anatomically incorrect.  Another in which a mother’s son likes dressing up in women’s clothes causing acceptance from some and chagrin from others.  As in real life.  A realistic portrayal of a mom getting to a certain age and dementia creeps in.  All the feelings and controversy are from real life and ring true, as when a gay couple enlists the aid of a lesbian to carry a child for them and we get a taste of high tech adoption with a sense of humor as the two prospective male parents go to a clinic to extract their own sperm.  We chuckle when another child wants a daddy and a poppy and feels deprived with only one male parent.

It progresses through the years and ends with an interview with a great-grandmother.  If you like this type of piece, you will like it.  As I said, I am not a fan of this type of theatre, but I wasn’t bored and did get a few laughs.

The pieces rang true.  Motherhood Out Loud is being performed at 59E59 Theatres.  That is the address as well as the name.  59 E. 59th Street.  If it sounds like something you might enjoy, check them out.  This is a cutting edge theatre, not afraid to take chances, which do sometimes backfire.  Kudos for taking the risks.