What I liked
I really enjoyed the format in which the show was presented. There was such a simple ease in which the material was shared, just a true ease of conversation and I loved that!! I loved the slides, the set, the props, Ariella’s lemon dress, and how comfortable the audience felt! I must tip my hat to the director, Ally Mulholland, on staging, positioning of the furniture, etc. This show flowed beautifully and allowed the performer to SHINE!
What I didn't like
This might be more of a question than a suggestion, but to a certain degree, this almost could have been two different shows. Some parts were particularly educational and other parts were extremely personal (particularly the back end of the show) and while I know the performer has a treasure of information to share and a lifetime of personal experiences to share, I’m wondering how imperative is it to keep the show in this order? Could the order change at all to perhaps infuse more of the extremely personal in between the educational? Are there any thoughts to expanding the show to a 90-minute format? It might make for a more powerful piece. Food for thought…
My overall impression
A beautiful, insightful, empowering solo show that combines the power of a TED Talk with the brutal honesty of growing up and living in a plus-sized body. From the get-go, Ariella lets the audience know for whom this show was created and let’s just say, I was one of many plus-sized people in the audience who heard the messaging loud and clear! Universal themes about acceptance, love, and SEX make this piece nothing shy of the most delicious lemonade you’ll be drinking on these hot summer days!! YOU GOTTA FEEL IT!!
