Reviewed by Heather Dowling

Look, I really like me some Oscar Wilde, however I expertise a gag reflex each time I see the cliché meme quote, “Be your self; everybody else is already taken.” You too? Then you’ll completely admire Alexandra Ryan’s very humorous, sincere and typically painful one-person present,  WILL THE REAL ME PLEASE STAND UP?

Initially, you assume you’re going to see a well-recognized story in regards to the existential struggles of a performer making an attempt to “make it” – and it looks as if it’ll be a really enjoyable journey. Then Alexandra’s co-stars – the inner coping mechanisms she’s created to outlive – present as much as give us an actual have a look at her life. Survive what? Her dad and mom’ divorce that break up her into two, “like a tree struck by lightning,” her father’s unrequited love, extremely complicated sibling dynamics, and the dying of her first real love.

The present is uncooked, weak, and extremely self-aware however in no way sympathy looking for. As a substitute, it’s delivered with a lot humor  – she even reveals that laughter is her “security indicator” – however that solely makes the jokes extra meta and significant. Set in a quite simple stage image, she delivers technically refined, however very clear characterizations, highlighting her spectacular and multifaceted skills as a performer and Juliette Jeffers’ ability as a director. 

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