THE HANGOVER REPORT – Laura Horton’s BREATHLESS kicks off 59E59 Theater’s 2023 Brits Off Broadway season in fine fashion

Madeleine MacMahon in Theatre Royal Plymouth’s production of “Breathless” by Laura Horton at 59E59 Theaters (photo by Theatre Royal Plymouth).

Earlier this week, I had a chance to catch up with Laura Horton’s Breathless, the first entry in 59E59 Theater’s 2023 edition of its excellent Brits Off Broadway series. As its title suggests, the multi-week series is a wonderful opportunity for New York theater fans to immerse themselves in the best of England’s “fringe” theater productions without having to book expensive flights to travel across the pond.

Presented by Theatre Royal Plymouth, Breathless is a solo show that tells the story of Sophie, a woman who struggles with hoarding tendencies, particularly her insatiable and impulsive need to buy clothes, much of which she doesn’t end up wearing and ultimately end up cluttering and overwhelming her apartment. Although the play may strike some as a slight affair (the whole affair lasts only 75 minutes, maximum), the work is tastefully written and staged (kudos particularly to Holly Harbottle’s subtle but effective sound design). Horton has a natural knack for conjuring simultaneously likable yet sufficiently complex characters with whom it’s a pleasure to spend time.

Happily Madeleine MacMahon’s performance is a charmer, effortlessly navigating the contrasting forces in Sophie’s psyche. Notably, the actress deftly invites the audience in before slowly unveiling her deep insecurities about her carefully hidden and tightly held secret. As written an acted, you can’t help but to cheer Sophie along on her journey. All-in-all, Breathless is a fine launch to 59E59’s Brits Off-Broadway season.

RECOMMENDED

BREATHLESS
Off-Broadway, Play
Theatre Royal Plymouth at 59E59 Theaters
1 hour, 15 minutes (without an intermission)
Through May 7

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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