The Women of Padilla
Guest Review
Let me preface my review with this: I loved the play. I feel compelled to write about The Women of Padilla because it moved me, and I want to encourage others to be moved as well. I hesitate because the play is delicate, and I am afraid that my words will weigh it down and obscure that lovely feature. In the world presented by playwright, Tony Meneses, we meet the ad hoc family, fitfully created. Women left behind after their husbands - eight brothers - have left for a mysterious, yet sadly familiar war.
The nature of the conflict is not specified. It is universal, eternal, and explicitly blamed on the nature of men, although the women’s passive acquiescence has certainly been conducive. The women wait together, trying to (mostly) support each other during the maddening wait. They explore their relationships and obligations to each other.
Photo T. Charles Erickson
The sisters-in-law are very (very!) different from each other. Each offers the family something unique, in interactions that are varyingly helpful, often hilarious, always poignant.
Photo T. Charles Erickson
I found myself wanting to spend time with (some of) them, to explore their characters still more. It made me think about the families that I am part of, that I have joined or helped to create. How they evolve or devolve. How I have evolved. There is much, much more to the work, but as always, the play’s the thing. Go see it and tell me what you think. For a brief preview video, click here.
Guest review by Jeanne Genova-Goldstein - What do I look for in a play? I want it to let me share someone else's experience of the world. I want to learn something new. While I also indulge in pure entertainment - classic musicals, farces - they are like eating ice cream. I love ice cream, but sometimes I need a challenging play for sustenance. I love it all, even when it is bad. There is always something to learn from it.