And Sophie Comes Too
nytheatre.com review by Roger Nasser
August 18, 2009
Family dynamics can be quite interesting. And Sophie Comes Too is about a very interesting family dynamic. This entertaining show deals with three sisters and their comatose mother. The three sisters love and care about their mother but are also involved in their lives. Barbara, the eldest sister, wants to adopt a Chinese girl; Rose, the "perfect" one, is having troubles at home; and Sandra wants to become a man. Rose has figured out a plan to get a new medication that will hopefully bring Sophie out of her coma. The first shot is unsuccessful but the second shot seems to do the trick. Sophie comes out of her coma—and then everything changes for the family.
And Sophie Comes Too is a very entertaining and touching play. I really enjoyed the way that it unfolded, and all the characters that inhabit the world created by Meryl Cohn. The play has a lot of great moments both comic and poignant. Cohn has done a great job in developing her characters and giving each one a moment to shine. My only concerns are that the play seemed to drag a bit at the end, and the ending seemed a little too perfect. But these are only minor things—on the whole, And Sophie Comes Too is a great play.
The cast is absolutely amazing! Elizabeth Whitney is so engaging and endearing as Barbara, the eldest sister wanting to adopt a baby. Whitney has a great quality about her that really shines on stage. Birgit Darby is brilliant as Rose, the "perfect" sister who is coming undone. Katherine Williams is really funny as Sandra/Ray, the gender-bending sister. Whitney, Darby, and Williams work really well together and are very believable as sisters. Jacqueline Sydney's Sophie is terrific; she brings a great deal of energy to the role. Susan Barnes Walker gives a great comedic performance as Patricia, Sandra's girlfriend who has taken a vow of silence. She is a sheer delight!
Rounding out the cast are Lue McWilliams as Lucy, the social worker helping Barbara with the adoption, and Karen Stanion as Martha, Barbara's girlfriend. Both McWilliams and Stanion do great jobs in their parts and are also both quite funny.
And Sophie Comes Too is beautifully directed by Mark Finley. Finley uses the space well and his actresses to their best abilities. This is another hit for TOSOS! It is one show that shouldn't be missed.
