Sharon’s never had a roommate before. In fact, there’s a lot Sharon’s never done before, but Robyn’s about to change all that. Jen Silverman’s The Roommate shatters expectations with its witty and profound portrait of a blossoming intimacy between two women from vastly different backgrounds, as they navigate the complexities of identity, morality, and the promise of reinvention. Being bad never felt so good as it does in this riveting one-act about second acts.
Most of what either woman says in “The Roommate,” which opened Thursday at the Booth Theater, is greeted by one or the other response. The two actors, old friends and old hands, play beautifully off each other, expertly riding the seesaw of a play, by Jen Silverman, that throws a Bronx grifter looking to reform herself into an unlikely alliance with a flyover frump looking to ditch her flannel ways. The actors’ intense focus and extreme contrast multiply the material exponentially, sending it way past the footlights to the back of the Booth. But as we’ve learned, sustaining and expanding are two different activities. Indeed, the Broadway supersizing of “The Roommate,” which has been produced regionally since 2015, does not necessarily represent progress, even as it no doubt reaps profit.
“The Roommate” is serviceably directed by Jack O’Brien, although Bob Crowley’s static set design doesn’t make ample use of the vast onstage space. Incidental music by David Yazbek is an unexpected highlight, bringing some mischief and verve to the otherwise staid production. Ultimately, it's a privilege just to spend a spell with icons like Farrow and LuPone, even if like their characters, they seem somewhat mismatched. When you've got two certified greats, it's hard not to wish for something more than just fine.
2017 | Williamstown, MA (Regional) |
Original Production at Williamstown Theatre Festival Williamstown, MA (Regional) |
2024 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
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