By Megan Grabowski
Off the Wall Productions’ What Kind of Woman, written by Erie, PA native Abbe Tanenbaum, is premiering at Carnegie Stage. A work in progress since 2016, Tanenbaum has created a poignant story bridging past and present to confront current barriers against women’s reproductive rights; head- on.
What Kind of Woman features playwright Tanenbaum as Anne, a struggling New York actress employed as a professional organizer, and Off the Wall Productions Artistic Director Virginia Wall Gruenert, as Nora, an aging feminist activist. Nora hires Anne to help organize her apartment before a visit from her estranged son. Decluttering Nora’s eclectic and crowded apartment exposes her identity as a pro-life activist and abortion clinic volunteer in the 1970s. Relics from her younger days are unearthed, accompanied by their stories. Soon Anne and Nora’s relationship evolves from professional to personal. Despite the freshly formed bond, the relationship is tested once Anne discovers old letters written to the underground abortion clinic by women seeking an abortion. Anne’s assessment of women who seek an abortion enrages Nora. They manage to let bygones be bygones for the sake of the task at hand until a chance occurrence propels Anne to reevaluate her opinions.
What Kind of Woman flaunts its relevancy but similarly to Nora’s character, without shame or judgment. It is a reminder of the not-so-distant past and the fight for female bodily integrity. It’s a call to order, a demand, a cautionary tale of the slippery slope women are forced to navigate to care for their health and wellbeing. What Kind of Woman is a window into contemporary femininity. It is beautiful and messy, authentic and complicated.
Under the direction of Kira Simring, Tanenbaum and Gruenert appear perfectly natural on stage. From Anne and Nora’s difficult histories to the uncharted future of female human rights, these characters prove how dangerously close we have come to reversing the freedom women have over control of their bodies. Tanenbaum and Gruenert breathe life into their characters, Anne and Nora.
Dare I say the stars aligned when Gruenert happened upon What Kind of Woman. This play unmasks the essence of womanhood in all its glory, heartache, and intricacy.
What kind of Woman runs September 23rd through October 1st at Carnegie Stage. Take note masks are required for admittance. Post-show talkbacks are scheduled for September 24th and September 30th. Tickets www.carnegiestage.com
Categories: Reviews
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