Aside from seeing my friends perform on stage, and acting myself, I haven't been to the theatre in a long time. When my mom and her friend recommended this one woman show, I felt inclined to go, mostly because it'd been so long since I sat in a velvet seat and took in some live theatre.
Usually, I'm not a fan of one woman/one man shows. I find them less intriguing than a full cast of actors, playing different parts. It's not as visually stimulating. In Mona Golabek in the Pianist of Willesden Lane, I really enjoyed the bare bones approach to her touching story.
Upon entering the small theatre, we were ushered to our seats, 2 chairs, basically on the stage. The "stage" which was not elevated was decorated by a beautiful grand piano and large ornate, yet empty, golden frames, which hung from the ceiling. I had a feeling images would be projected into the frames. The set up was simple and elegant.
When the show initially began, I was worried. Mona didn't take on characters the way I thought she would. She didn't morph and change into different spirits. She acted as a storybook narrator, changing the intonation or accent of her voice, but not taking on any distinct mannerisms or traits. She was just telling us the story. I wasn't sure if I liked that.
However, as the performance progressed, I began to engage in this woman's incredible journey. How she was forced to leave her family at 14 during the Holocaust and go to a different country, and then ran away from that new home. Life seemed so spontaneous and harsh. And in between the monologues, Mona Golabek played the piano in a most bittersweet and touching way. Each song calling attention to the sentiment of the particular "scene". As suspected, old photographs, video footage, and relevant imagery were projected into the hanging frames, which set the mood of 1940's Euro culture.
What I loved most about the show was the beautiful ending (which I won't spoil here), but it did bring me to tears. It's stories like this one that make me feel privileged and reminds me to cherish the life I've been given. This girl was separated from her family at such a young age, and forced to become independent and strong. Despite all the hardships, she managed to excel greatly. It also reminded me of the kindness of the human spirit in times of horror.
I would highly recommend this one woman show to everyone. However, while it is very much a human story for all types of people, I do think being of the Jewish faith or culture might make the experience a little bit more meaningful.
Learn more about or buy tickets for the show here: http://geffenplayhouse.com/more_info.php?show_id=161
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