A darkened, hushed theater has therapeutic qualities. If the
show is compelling, it’s a place where troubles of the week can be left behind
as the drama unfolding onstage transports the audience to a different reality.
This was a good week for theater, and an even better week to see “Mother (and me),”
which runs at Geva Theatre Center through November
20.
“Mother (and me)” is a one-woman show written and performed
by veteran Broadway comedian and actor Melinda Buckley. It follows her journey
from the year 2000 to present — with a fair bit of history mixed in to provide
context — as she cares for her mother, a Hungarian immigrant and single parent
who’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. When Buckley debuted the show at
the 2014 New York Fringe Festival, it won “Best of the Fest at C.O.W.” and went
on to play at Second Stage Uptown, Cape Playhouse in Cape Cod, the Bay Street
Theatre in Long Island, and Chicago’s Greenhouse Theatre as part of the Solo
Celebration Festival of one-person shows.
It’s not hard to figure out why “Mother (and me)” is a hit
with audience members. In many ways, the show is the story of baby boomers
around the nation — many divorced or empty nesters — facing midlife crisis and eldercare
in the same decade of life. And of course, there’s another binding thread:
mothers. Buckley begins the show by suggesting that the bond between mother and
child is stronger than any other relationship that humans form.
Throughout the show, Buckley proves herself a master
storyteller who is capable of a wide range of emotions. Not once does her
energy slip; she keeps the audience engaged through humor (self-deprecating,
dark, and otherwise), accents, and even song-and-dance numbers — Buckley was
part of the international “A Chorus Line” tour, after all.
But if watching the show is therapy for the audience,
Buckley’s process in creating the show had to be twice that. In a little more
than an hour, the audience learns a lot about both Buckley and her mother,
Eileen. Some of it is more relatable to certain audience members depending on
age and background, but this is a show that will always resonate in some way.
“Mother (and me)” is a laugh-out-loud, heartwarming tribute to mothers
everywhere.
Add to Buckley’s energy quick sound and lighting by Derek Madonia, all overseen by stage manager Katie Klemme. There are no costume changes and the set is largely
bare. Buckley’s outfit, by costume designer Amanda Doherty, consists of a
flowing blue top and black slacks, hose and pumps. The set by Gary Jacobs is
comprised of scroll-like cutouts placed in each corner of the stage’s frame.
Two sets of these cutouts make the action onstage appear almost like a photo in
a frame.
The show runs 1 hour and 10 minutes in the Fielding Stage
(good news, beverages are allowed in the theater), making “Mother (and me)” a good
after-dinner complement for any night when a little humor and a darkened
theater is needed.
Afterward, call your mother.
This article appears in Nov 9-15, 2016.
