to the editor: Sometimes you might just need a woman to review a play written, performed, and directed by women.
Charles McNulty is an intelligent and insightful critic. But he missed the mark in his article on “Angry, Loud and Unabashedly Precious” in the Geffen (“'Angry, Loud and Shamelessly Beautiful' lives up to its title, but the plot thickens,” June 19). While he superficially praised the actors, set design and production, he opined that it was “crippled by exposition”, with “sluggish” writing and a plot “like an old car whose engine just refuses to start on a cold winter night”. In doing so, he completely missed the point.
The very characteristics he discards made the work. It's not just about aging and intergenerational change.[ing] unexpectedly…in a cheesy fairy tale.” These are women, in this case black women, who are forced to speak men's words and listen to them captively while invisible except as erotic props. So all the words in this play, spoken by the actors, have great meaning.
There was no fairy tale ending, but rather a difficult decision made by a strong older woman to embrace herself while empowering and supporting a younger woman. The audience understood, as evidenced by their great attention and a standing ovation.
I suppose most female critics would have understood that. McNulty didn't.
Vicki Freimann, La Cañada Flintridge
