What I liked
Margot Avery portrays the lead (or should I say “cast”?) of The Portable Dorothy Parker, set in 1943 when Parker’s husband is off at war and she, past her prime, looks back with a certain dissatisfied rue. A unseen young woman is visiting, to help her put together a collection of her works (hence the title). Parker does not want her there, but treats her politely enough. She drinks and drinks and drinks some more, going over her past and letting her tongue wag. It makes for an extremely workable format. Almost perfect. More, let me say this right up front—it works. That all too often is a rarity in one person shows. Many crash and burn.
What I didn't like
So is there a “but” coming? Well, yeah. This reminds me of a youtube video about some writer, that tries to give a relatively thorough outline of an artist, their art and career, in less than an hour. A near-impossible task. Certainly, I left the theatre entertained and informed. But I barely felt moved. Parker was a passionate person, a spitfire of wit given to frequent episodes of heavy drinking and extreme depression. I liked the show. I feel pleased to have seen and heard it. I wanted to feel changed by a glimpse into an extraordinary, complicated soul.
Which, to be fair, is a very hard thing to do in less than an hour.
My overall impression
Here the single performer aided by the script by Annie Lux and direction by Lee Costello gives us an entertaining, even insightful portrait of a fascinating woman. Fan of the infamous wit get plenty doses of same, which we can (and do) savor at our leisure. Count me in!
