What I liked
Dealing with an established, professional actress, I knew coming in that the level of performance would be impressive. And Kirsten does not disappoint in her storytelling, audience interaction, and charisma.
Praise must go to Co-Directors, Tom Lenk and Tom Detrinis. Simple staging in the form of three chairs allows all focus to be on performance and our own take-aways. And the technical elements for this show were colorful and mood appropriate.
What I want to focus my praise most heavily is the writing. Even in a preview, this script has some of the most memorable lines I have witnessed. Here are just a few of my favorites:
From spiritual, feminine influencer, Tana:
“Labby Witson Blake, from grow your heart grow your business.com & I put our Jade eggs into our yonis and we went to Starbucks Ordered a Yerba mate which we know they don’t have but we are there, turning the egg, toning our cervix.”
From Tana’s philosophical stagehand, Erin:
“Yeah, so think of yourself as a bunch of gardens. Each garden, has a gate and when a person earns trust they get into another garden, so they text you a couple times, seem cool- a gate opens, so then you talk on the phone, and the person makes you feel comfortable so you open a gate into a new garden which could be to have a date-”
And lastly, from Kirsten herself:
“He asks me out again and I say yes because I read in a book you should try something two times before it’s a no.”
What I didn't like
While I am not sure Kirsten has more she wants to personally divulge, I humbly feel this is a show that could afford to go over an hour.
My overall impression
This intensely personal, character-driven solo show captures the complexities of on-app dating. There are so many moments of pure hilarity that I lost track of the number of times I laughed out loud. Co-joining these instances are moments that celebrate Kirsten Vangsness’s poignancy, vulnerability, and open-mindedness.
While she might feel “Outdated,” I guarantee that her subject matter and its relevancy are not. For those unfamiliar with terms relating to the “B” in LGBTQIA+ or demisexuality, Kirsten is not shy about sharing her self-discovery. How does that translate into the world of contemporary dating?
And, here’s to looking at oneself through the beast’s eyes.
