Courtesy of United Solo Website
I spent the weekend going solo, as I made my way over to the Theatre Row to check out the United Solo Theater Festival. The festival features over 100 one-person shows that run daily for the next month. The shows vary from drama and puppetry to stand-up, dance, and everything in between. I decided to watch the theatrical realization of Frankenstein. My experience was as unique as it could get, but as each show is different on its own, your experience will be completely different from mine. But here is one thing I can say for sure- never was a trip to Times Square more worth it than this one.
With my ticket, I marched into one of the small theaters at Theater Row and took a seat in the second row. For the next 45 minutes the actress on stage adopted the personas of Mary Shelley, Victor Frankenstein, and even the “wretch” (the assemblage of human parts that Frankenstein brings to life in Shelley’s haunting thriller).
Courtesy of United Solo Website
The actress, Virginia Bartholomew, proved a tremendous force, altering her voice, mannerisms, and expressions to effectively convey three very different – and, in the case of Frankenstein and the wretch, opposed – characters. The theater’s small size provided for an intimate setting, rendering her decisions more powerful. I was floored. Everyone else in the theater seemed to be too, giving Bartholomew a standing ovation and several rounds of applause.
I can’t wait to head back to Theater Row to catch another performance before the festival’s closing ceremony on November 18, an award show that will recognize the best actors, shows, and scripts of the festival. For $18, a show with the festival is a deal you can’t miss.
You can find the schedule and buy tickets on the website.
-Renny Grinshpan
No Comments | Posted on October 23, 2012 | Categories: Attractions, Entertainment, Event-Related, From the Blog, Manhattan, Only in New York
