"Mother and Me" at Geva

First, let me say I am not a fan of the solo written-by-and-starring-the-writer “play” (or as Frank Rich called it, the “autobiographical monologue”). It seems a bit self-indulgent, and usually not performable by anyone but the author (one exception stands out in my mind – Blown Sideways Through Life). So when my sister-in-law expressed interest in seeing Geva’s Mother and Me, I reluctantly agreed to go with her. Before we went, however, I had the opportunity to hear the playwright, Melinda Buckley, speak about the genesis of the work.

The story encompasses the 10-year period in which she took care of her mother, who had Alzheimer’s, and Buckley’s realization that as her mother lost her memory, Buckley actually started remembering more. The project began in a writer’s group as therapy, and evolved into a performance piece, although even Buckley was worried at the start of the potential for self-indulgence. She had had a stand-up life before theatre, and that certainly influenced her writing. When I asked her if she envisioned the play having a life beyond her own performance, she replied that there was the possibility of a New York run, with a “name” in the role, which would be necessary to attract an audience.

Melinda Buckley with Artistic Director Mark Cuddy
at a recent Geva donor dinner

I was delighted to be wrong in my wariness. To say that the show was funny is an understatement. It is humorous, poignant, touching… brilliant. If I hadn’t procrastinated seeing it, I would definitely go a second time, for the horse-race scene alone – it was truly inspired. The fact that many in the audience didn’t realize the show was about the actress speaks volume to its ability to have wider appeal. And while Buckley was magnificent playing herself, her mother, her brother, and a host of other characters, I could easily see this having a respectable off-Broadway run starring someone like Christine Ebersole, or Joanna Gleason, or Bebe Neuwirth, or Laura Linney. And I’d build a trip to the city around seeing it again.

If you want to see Mother and Me, act quickly – the run ends on Sunday! For tickets:

www.geva.org