What I liked
The writing is hilarious, whip-smart, and emotionally grounded. Commander Jane is a richly drawn, compelling protagonist, and G.E.R.T.I. (her AI companion) is both hilarious and heartbreakingly misguided. The story captures something essential and (let’s be real) f***ed-up about womanhood: that when you disrupt the story a man believes about who you are, the next chapter is often a threat to your safety. SOLO explores that dynamic with nuance and precision, all while making me laugh out loud and gasp under my breath.
It’s intersectional without being preachy, and personal without losing its universal punch. The play manages to hold sharp critique and real humanity in the same hand. I left fired up, inspired, and honestly wishing for a feature-length version or extended run. This story has legs. And thrusters. And teeth.
What I didn't like
If anything, I wanted more. A few transitions felt slightly rushed, surely due to time constraints, and I was left craving a deeper dive into certain emotional beats, especially her brief contemplation of giving into everyone’s expectations and her unwelcome guest’s shallow charms. I could easily see this expanded into a full-length piece or a serialized format. The world is that rich, and the themes are that resonant.
My overall impression
I cannot stop thinking about SOLO. It’s one of the smartest, funniest, most timely, and unexpectedly moving pieces of theater I’ve seen in a long time. What starts as a sci-fi story quickly unfolds into something much deeper: a layered, intersectional meditation on autonomy, gender, gender identity, and the danger of not fitting into the patriarchy’s story (or for that matter, a man’s story of you he has put upon you).
