Flashback review Virtue and Vice in 'Becky Shaw' at the Gremlin Theatre

Becky Shaw is written by Gina Gionfriddo and directed by Ellen Fenster, showing at the Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul through January 26th,2020.

Unfettered relationships seem consistent in Gionfriddo's script, even though the main character, Susan, has a romantic view of what relationships should look like.  Detangling the web of lies begins with Becky, (Chelsie Newhard) who is set up on a date with Max (Logan Verdoorn), his adopted sister, Susan (Jodi Kellogg), and her husband, Andrew (Kevin Fanshaw).

Max interprets the set up as a mistake. “She’s a thirty-five-year-old office temp with no money, no friends, no relationships, no family...How the fuck could you set me up with that?”  Things gets worse from there, with all four characters involved in a spiral of self-destruction.

Max’s character is sarcastic, forward, and crude evidenced by lines like, “Love is a happy by-product of use,” or “I know you’re in a sad Buddhist phase.” Throughout the play, I found myself thinking Oh my God, did he just say that?! A patron I interviewed had this to say about Max's character: “He’s the quintessential guy that men in this audience can relate to.” Whether this was true or not, I found myself deeply immersed in the performance.

Andrew, Susan’s nerdy husband comes off as a goofy, innocent pushover. And Suzanna claims he enjoys his role as a man who saves women and then abandons them. “You left your anorexic girlfriend after she gained ten pounds.”

It’s well written using moments of silence to create tension and then a well placed line to provide relief as the audience roared in laughter. At times, lights cast down on two characters sitting at a park bench or a table discussing personal matters, and I was so close it felt like a bird looking down into her nest. Musical interludes between scenes enabled actors to move in a rhythmic purposeful pace, so that even set changes were impressive to watch.

Simple sets, designed by Carl Schoenborn helped create hotel and living room scenes. Even though a large scale bed was left in many scenes, the electronic scenic projections helped create the scene's backdrop with images of bookshelves and photographs like a picture of Audrey Hepburn. The use of technology helped me understand the future of theatre, and the solution to a problem many organizations face when mounting live productions.


If you like entertainment that is riveting and thought-provoking, come and see this exciting production. The Gremlin Theatre is staging this play in its new space at St. Paul's Vandalia Tower. Free parking is available in the huge lot on Wabash Avenue near the water tower. There is also a lot across the street on the north side of Wabash Avenue. Enter the Annex building via the double doors next to Lake Monster brewery.