What I liked
This is a very provocative piece that will hit audiences in different ways. What I am most impressed by is the writing. Tabatha showcases raw honesty with heavy doses of humor in sharing the most traumatic moments of her story.
And I applaud all of the music/sound design in this piece! It certainly helps to amplify moments.
What I didn't like
I offer the following feedback as this show continues to grow:
1) When the time comes to move to a different venue, including props and projections will make this show more theatrical.
2) Choosing specific moments to look at the notebook might be a good running bit with which you can experiment.
3) Perhaps having some small wardrobe/costume pieces that can be used to denote passing of time would be of benefit.
4) More music please!
My overall impression
Just like Green Gartside (lead singer of the band, Scritti Politti), Tabatha Myers is one-of-a-kind. In her solo show, How Do I Hold It?, Myers recounts a childhood fraught with medical ailments, issues being believed, and a platter of Jesus-Saves all your worries. Raised as a bi-racial child, music becomes a source of passion and escape.
However, then, the unimaginable happens on an overseas trip to see and hear her favorite band play. Horrifically assaulted by a stranger, Myers grapples with a hodgepodge of coping mechanisms. Some of these range from collecting reptiles, to seeing inappropriate therapists who encourage penis descriptions.
Myers opts to move from her hometown state of Pennsylvania to California to start fresh. While some of her medical issues exacerbate, she is finally free to mourn her rape. In How Do I Hold It?, she successfully weaves together a show that is part hero’s journey and part magical thinking and all uniquely her.
