Silent Joy, a New Play

What I liked

The theatricality and ensemble work in bringing the audience into the environment. They do a wonderful job of building and characterizing this fantastical world. The performances are stellar particularly those of Maggie Dorfman as Girl and Carolina Reynoso as Young Girl. Both of them do a wonderful job in capturing the lightness and darkness of a young person’s struggle with depression in a character arc that is both raw, emotional, and even playful.

What I didn't like

I saw the show when it was in its early stages last Fall and fell in love with the story, performances, original music, and overall ingenuity. It was interesting to see it again in its reworked stages. I still enjoyed the piece, but found myself not as enthralled as I had been when I had first seen it. It’s possible that this was because I was familiar with what I was walking into, but afterwards I realized there was a certain whimsy about it the first time that was lost this time around. Hopefully, some of the humor, innocence, and wonder I found in the initial runs will make its way back into future productions.

My overall impression

I can’t wait to see where this production goes. It’s originality, creativity, intimacy, and brilliant ensemble are just the kinds of things that should be getting this play produced to an even wider audience. It’s a really important message delivered in the best possible way.