Les Spindle – Edge on the Net
Gracefully segueing from what initially seems like a breezy romantic comedy to a thoughtful and heart-wrenching portrait of grief, family dynamics, and life’s unpredictable twists and turns, Bekah Brunstetter’s 2011 Off-Off-Broadway play “Be a Good Little Widow” shines in its L.A. debut. The West Coast premiere of this absorbing 90-minute play occurred last year at the Old Globe in San Diego. Under the taut and graceful direction of Sara Botsford, this pitch-perfect rendition at the compact second-stage space at the NoHo Arts Center proves to be a subtly profound experience. Read more…
Pauline Adamek – Stage Raw
It’s hard to tell if Bekah Brunstetter’s play is a tired string of clichés or if any dramatization of dealing with the loss of a spouse, as in Be a Good Little Widow, inevitably hits the same familiar notes. Brunstetter establishes her groundwork with the commonplace beats of a young couple struggling with the challenges of their swift new marriage: She’s lonely in their new home in a new town. He’s often traveling for work, but it will all be better “once the merger is over.” She’s nervous about having the ‘Monster-In-Law’ she barely knows over for dinner . . . Her happiness at his arrival home is punctured by his admission he has to head out again all too soon. His disappointment that she has failed to find a vocation — or any kind of gainful occupation — is quickly glossed over so they can enjoy their reunion, including a hackneyed tender slow dance to a jazz standard. Read more…
Now running through May 25.