What I liked
Nicole Ohara and Benjamin J. Young really shine in this production and I very much liked seeing them play onstage. Ohara moves the audience with her raw portrayal of her character. You can almost see her thoughts as they form on the stage. Young shows a diverse range of characters, completely transforming into a new character in the millisecond it takes the lights to change. Ohara and Young have impeccable comedic timing and there were many moments the whole audience bursted out in laughter. They made a play of just two actors feel like it was full of colorful characters.
What I didn't like
I felt there were some unanswered questions and missing context about Lady that the play could have benefitted from bringing forward more clearly. There was also a problem with the wall of the set when I went to see the production that was a bit distracting, but the actors played it off well.
My overall impression
“Hold That Thought While I Scream” will make me reevaluate all my therapy sessions moving forward. Barrett DeYoung brings us a unique two-person play with complex characters and a thought provoking narrative on psychological boundaries. The show creatively utilizes the stage and technical elements to put Lady’s (an overworked therapist) inner and outer world on display for the audience. I found myself reflecting on the question: how do you take care of others when you can’t take care of yourself? How can you provide counseling when you don’t even take your own advice? As the lead, Lady, spirals into herself, her facade starts to crumble and her patients start to see it too. All of these elements are well portrayed by the technical choices and the acting.
