[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein’s The Secret Comedy of Women, produced by Philip Roy, playing at The Colony Theatre from April 24-May 18.
My husband is always telling me how lucky I am to have my closest friends. Women have friends for life, don’t we? I know I do. And although I didn’t grow up with them, at least not all the way, we are lifelong, end-of-the-line kind of friends. Always on your side, a phone call away, even if it’s that “You get one phone call ma’m”…it will probably be to them.
The Secret Comedy of Women is about those special kinds of friends, and with an audience almost entirely filled with women, every single person in the theatre could relate. Some of them even brought their significant ‘others’ with them.
Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein didn’t grow up together. In fact, they grew up in different countries, USA and Canada. But they met as adults and knew pretty much right away that they would always be in each other’s lives.
The Secret Comedy of Women is a delightful retelling of some of their stories. As kids and as adults…but mostly as kids. The set is a typical teenage girl’s bedroom in the 80s. Pop posters, soft toys and bad makeup. A bedroom for everyone, twin beds and lots of pink. As the audience takes their seats, Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein are hanging out on stage, in their undies, waiting for the play to begin. So we know right off the bat we are in for something spectacular. No one who is comfortable lounging in their knickers and bra is going to be shy about comedy…And they are certainly not shy! The show takes us way back, to sleepovers and awkward first crushes. To high school and pantyhose and secrets and even menopause. All with side-splitting candor and profound empathy.
Oh, and they also sing! The songs are hilarious and brutally honest. Songs about everything from hot flashes to hot dates. They are an absolutely brilliant and incredibly talented couple of women.
I’m not sure what possessed them to create this show, but boy am I glad they did. Not afraid of their wobbly bits, they dress in some wonderful and ridiculous outfits, like kids and teenagers often do. They embrace the eye-rolls of our youth. Toss their hair in the general direction of convention and make us laugh out loud for the entire length of the play.
Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein are absolute geniuses. They drew warm and loving pictures of their lives, silly bits and all, and remind us how bad it could be back then. No cellphones, no smart TVs. No wifi, no Google, no late-night TV. No Amazon! How ever did we survive!?
Well, I’m certainly thrilled that Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein survived their childhoods and brought us to their crossroads. Reminding us of our patchy humanity and forcing us to reflect on the reason we remain close to those we remain close to. Is it love or is it the fear that they will spill all your secrets, and does it really matter which as long as it makes us laugh? Laugh at them and ultimately laugh at ourselves. Which is always the point, I think. Life is short and times are crazy. We all need something unique and entertaining as The Secret Comedy of Women. I absolutely loved it and my husband learned a lot!
The Secret Comedy of Women runs through May 18 at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. Bring your sisters, bring your best friends, bring some men! Let’s hope you are able to get tickets to see this utterly magnificent show written and performed by these truly incredible women! I love, love, love this show!! Highly recommended!!!
Tickets:
Where:
The Colony Theatre
555 N 3rd St, Burbank, CA 91502
When:
April 24-May 18
Thursday and Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2:30pm and 8pm, and Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm.
Additional performance on Thursday, May 1, at 2:30pm
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