Two intimate one-woman shows have come together at The Flea Theater to present “Maiden Mother Crone,” a duet of solo plays. The plays tell the lifelong stories of expectations in relationships and how that affects one’s identity—through vulnerable, intimate, and sometimes hilarious storytelling. The duet stars Jen Ponton and Deborah Unger as the performers of their autobiographical pieces.
Jen Ponton, best known for her work on Dietland, 20 Rock, and Orange is the New Black, opens the show with “Sugarcoated,” a truthful exploration of sexuality, femininity, self-consciousness, and growing up. Ponton fills the room with her energetic presence, as she embodies herself throughout the years, from childhood to the present. Watching “Sugarcoated,” it’s hard not to feel like the best friend of Ponton, as she shares her biggest secrets and asks for advice while looking into the audience’s eyes. She takes the audience through her core memories, forming a cohesive idea of how she became the happily queer woman she is today, and how she comes to state, “I don’t want to die, I want to be gay!”
Directed by Tessa Slovis, “Sugarcoated” transforms The Flea’s intimate space into a little girl’s birthday party, a Girl Scout camp, a college theater, and even the Garden State Parkway. Projections onto the walls offer windows into Ponton’s life, and LED lights color the entire room, inviting audience members into her memories. Audience members are even given party hats to join in on the fun!
Just as “Sugarcoated” ends, Deborah Unger, known for her work on Eighth Grade and Birdman, takes the stage as a vengeful mother to prepare the audience for what’s to come after intermission. Her play, “The Longer My Mother is Dead the More I Like Her,” offers the two sides of Unger’s relationship with her late mother. She switches back and forth between herself and her mom, with just an adjustment of her glasses, and also takes the audience through her childhood to the present. She brings forth what it means to be a mother, and how that clashes with what it means to be a daughter. As the audience learns more about the relationship between the two, Unger delivers a tear-jerking performance, winning everyone over with her seamless charisma.
Directed by Dominick LaRuffa, Unger’s piece adopts a more minimal set, allowing her to truly shine. Moments such as fights with her mom and the passing of a family member become easy to envision, despite just viewing one performer in a bare room. “The Longer My Mother is Dead the More I Like Her” highlights the lengths a mother will go to to prepare a daughter for life, and how a daughter perceives this.
Don’t miss out on your chance to catch “Mother Maiden Crone” at The Flea through February 23rd. Get your tickets HERE.
