What I liked
The set decor really worked for the themes – cracks in the facade and so forth. The script, particularly the dialogue, was fun, funny and well-paced. The three principal actors were very dialed in and very well-cast. Given the nature of the festival, the largely barebones approach to sound, lighting, costuming et cetera were helpful to the story.
What I didn't like
There’s perhaps a version of this that leans into the why but ultimately that’s probably less important than the reality. Some broader audio and lighting interaction – again not easy in a festival setting – may have been helpful.
My overall impression
Though vaguely familiar with the concept of Mikvah – I considered it a shibboleth that was a quirk of a culture – but – YIKES – was this a powerful discovery of what women experience since the beginning of time. Finding humor and sisterhood and pathos and hope and understanding felt like a tour of existence rather than just an isolated two-hander between best friends. This was really highlighted by some deft acting by their initial antagonist. Modern (and hip?) young, Jewish women obsessing over Bruce Springsteen provided a further sense of timelessness, Jewish identity mixed with greater cultural integration and alienation.
Maya and Sofia were delightful as fleshed-out peas in a pod and Rachel (playing Rachel) really did thoughtful work as a scene break agent. I’m not a huge fan of musicals so shows like this is why I go to the theater.
