BECOMES A WOMAN and 1 + 1

Review | Celia Ipiotis

It happened by chance. In a single day I saw a play written by a woman in 1931 and a play written by a man in 2022. Both consider the options open to single women intent on becoming someone.

One of the downtown theater community’s leading lights, Eric Bogosian penned “1 + 1” in 2022 produced at the Soho Playhouse. An intimate theater, opening night drew friends and fans.

Swamped by orders at the local restaurant, Briana (Katie North), an aspiring actress, chats up a customer, Phil (Daniel Yaiullo) who turns out to be a photographer. In need of a head shot, she agrees to visit his studio and through flattery, heavy drugs, lots of sex — not much rock ‘n roll — she starts making money from her “artistic” nude shots. 

Sporting a British accent, the urbane Phil engineers Briana’s new career. At one point, Briana, thrilled with the $16,000 she quickly makes wonders what she might do with it. He suggests she enroll in acting lessons, to which she insists she needs none — just auditions. Intense and kinetic, Briana basks in the easy money, and slides right along with Phil into the haze of hard drugs. 

Energetically directed by Matt Okin, when the second act arrives with Phil drug clean, married and about to welcome his first child, he visits Briana to ask her “forgiveness.” Part of the 12-step program back to sobriety. She, in turn, surprises him with a photo of their 4-year-old daughter. To say that things don’t end well is not surprising. The actors hold the stage, but compared to Phil, Briana flounders and never recuperates.

In contrast, the woman of the late 1920’s lives a fully realized life. The Mint Theater’s three-act production of Becomes A Woman by Betty Smith and ably directed by Britt Berke, opens on a young lady working in a five and dime. She sings songs so customers will buy the sheet music. Well-intentioned, she’s a conservative, devout Catholic living with her mother, policeman father and two high-school age sons.

A pretty young woman, Francie Nolan (Emma Pfitzer Price) is constantly being hit on by men who ask her to sing. She’s afraid to go out, afraid to move from her home, afraid of her own shadow. Urged by her supportive and warm-hearted friend Tessie (Gina Daniels) to enjoy herself. All her reserve shifts when the son of the owner, Leonard Kress Jr. (Peterson Townsend) a well-dressed, educated cad asks her out, she acquiesces.

Although the first act feels slow, the second act starts to percolate. Francie’s out of shape cop father, Pa Nolan (Jeb Brown) sits soaking his feet, while Mother (a fine Antoinette LaVecchia) cooks and desperately pleads for everyone to leave their blue-collar manners behind. Bellicose and physically overwhelming, Pa Nolan offers no apologies for his appearance. Constantly trying to navigate the family’s opposing demands, Mother finally gets Pa Nolan to agree to meet Francie’s new beau.

Despite his attempt to appear nonplussed by the family’s lower-class situation, Leonard cannot bring himself to ask Pa Nolan for his daughter’s hand. Already a few months pregnant, when Leonard tries to weasel out of the marriage Pa exerts his impressive threats, vowing to smear his name in the newspaper.

By the third act, Francie’s living with her friend, Tessie (Gina Daniels) — and her kind husband. The baby is in the crib when Leonard’s father Leonard Sr. (Duane Boutte) arrives. Implausibly congenial, he accurately reads the situation. Rather than agree to her request for a divorce, he asks her to reconsider because his son needs someone like her to become a man. Also, his inheritance will not be forthcoming unless he stays married. 

Now here’s the twist, when Leonard pleads for her to return so he can unlock his fortune, she refuses because she’s her own woman. Rather than be smothered by the dream of what she could be — as in the case of Briana — Francie faces the future with truth.

EYE ON THE ARTS, NY — Celia Ipiotis