What I liked
I was very impressed by the writing and recitation of the show. The division of the story into acts worked well for me. I found myself engrossed in the storytelling and then surprised by each break. She sets up the story in such a way that you can’t help but be invested. It’s the perfect mix of poetic prose interjected with smart quips that humanize the story. In one of the final monologues of the show, Beth questions the purpose of telling her story in this way and I think that purpose is answered throughout the show with the way that she talks about her experience. It’s exactly how I would want a friend to talk to me about mine – without judgement but with just a little bit of self-deprecation to keep me humble.
What I didn't like
The show worked well for the space it was in but I don’t know how well it would scale up. The blocking and set are very minimal and therefore would translate well, but sometimes it was hard to hear exactly what she was saying. Beth has a huge presence in the room but for someone with slight hard of hearing, I had to focus very hard to make sure that I caught every word. Also, this is more of a note for the theater than for Beth, but the late entries were very distracting because the show is in such a small space.
My overall impression
Beth’s show was so well written and very impactful storytelling. I appreciated the heads up about the trigger warnings at the beginning (take them seriously) but I commend Beth of telling her story in this way. In this show, Beth is saying the hard thing out loud and it results in a show that is funny, tragic, honest, and motivational all at the same time. It made me want to go home and write about my own mental health but she puts into words things I’ve only ever thought to myself. I know Beth through her poetry and this exceeded my expectations of her writing talent. I really would not miss it.
