FRINGE REVIEW: Gen & Mabel

Talk about a masterclass in acting.  GEN & MABEL, a very honest, raw, and insightful play about two women who struggle to fall in love, is a good play.  Leta Tremblay, the playwright, has written an intelligent relationship piece.  But in the hands of Kayla Jackmon (“Gen”) and Sarah Matteucci (“Mabel”) it’s duplicitous – it’s heartbreaking and heartwarming simultaneously.  I couldn’t look away.

Mariah MacCarthy, who I gave a Critic’s Pick to last year for her solo show “BABY MAMA” directs this year.  She pulls things from these actors, finds every nuance in the script, and keeps the action moving.  It’s sometimes hard to make theatre when you have two people just sitting on a stage talking; CAPS LOCK THEATRE makes it look easy. Talking about easy –  CCM’s Josh Reiter also shows up, just for a second, but maximizes his stage time with his naturally likable and big personality.

We meet the two women on their first blind date and follow their relationship as it deepens and develops.  We learn about some of their previous partners, hear about some traumatic experiences, and experience all the emotion packed into this hour-long play right along with the duo.  I can’t state it enough; these two actors are dynamic, emotive, and near perfect in their execution of this material.

There’s a lot of very frank talk about sex; if you go be prepared to learn about kinky queer sex in explicit conversation.  But that’s just talk. The real explicit stuff is the exposed hearts of both women throughout.  GEN & MABEL is a winner.

GEN & MABEL runs again in the Art Academy Commons on the following dates: