THEATER REVIEW: Robin Strasser, Special Discount Elevate Show to "Must See" Status

For the present iteration of Nora and Delia Ephron's adorable "Love, Loss, and What I Wore," the legendary artists behind ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Hon. Dorian Lord, GOSSIP GIRL's Countess Dorota Kishlovsky, and GILLIGAN'S ISLAND's Mary Ann Summers appear live and in person at the intimate Westside Theater. For soap fans, it's a dream cast, but it won't be here for much longer.  A new quintet will take over in March--so grab your girlfriends now, and go!

With Robin Strasser, Zuzanna Szadkowski and Dawn Wells starring, the show's script may still be just as flawed as it was was when first reviewed by our Damon L. Jacobs--but it's difficult to notice.

The charm, intensity, and talent of this cast means they could almost, as they say, sit up there on the stage and read the telephone book, and still show us a good time. Instead, they give the Ephron's consistently witty (but occasionally banal) writing a subtle makeover. In their able hands, "Love, Loss" transcends its origins and becomes a large scale, theater-wide female bonding event, complete with bouts of giggles and a trickle of tears.

Strasser, especially, stands out. Her Dorian character had slowly shifted over the years, and though she was originally complex, intelligent, ambitious and even subtle, toward the end she was written as far too camp.  Strasser was delightful to the end and gave her all with every performance, but she was stuck with a character drawn as a cartoon upon the OLTL canvas.

At the Westside Theater, however--without blocking, without costume changes, and without a set; just her in a chair--Strasser shines. In fact, a few times, somehow, she actually made me forget where I was. She took me on a journey.  Especially her rant on handbags--of all things. It may have been two minutes long, or it may have been twenty. I have no idea. I loved it.

I definitely recommend a trip to see "Love, Loss," if only for the opportunity to experience Robin Strasser's talent and range in person--and unhindered by Dorian's baggage. Even when she doesn't have dialog (or, more accurately in this show, monologue), her reactions to her cast-mate's exhortations and confessions, and even her interactions with the audience, are a joy to behold.

Which is not to disparage the rest of the cast. All are entertaining. Beware Szadkowski's survivor character: no spoilers, I'll just say you'r likely to end up hysterical; but will you be laughing, or crying?  High praise for Wells, also. Her character performs the unenviable "straight man" role with winsome, nostalgic honesty, imbuing this pastiche of anecdotes with a functional narrative philosophy.

I recommend "Love, Loss and What I Wore," starring  Robin Strasser, Zuzanna Szadkowski and Dawn Wells, as a guaranteed good time for soap fans--especially since we have a great deal for our readers. Use our code, and you can purchase a pair of great tickets for only $99. Here's how:

THREE WAYS TO ORDER:
1. ONLINE: Visit www.broadwayoffers.com and enter code LLLSP77
2. BY PHONE: Call 212-947-8844 and mention code LLLSP77
3. IN PERSON: Bring a print-out of this offer to the Westside Theatre Box Office
407 West 43rd Street (between 9th and 10th Avenues).
Box office open Mon-Sun noon- 6 p.m.

RELATED
- Damon L. Jacobs Reviews "Love, Loss and What I Wore"
- Discount Tickets For "Love, Loss and What I Wore" Featuring Robin Strasser Starting Feb. 1