There is not much in this show about Lucy the cat. But there is much about how hard it is to continue to live when there is so little in the world that affirms your right to be here. How the effort “pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again” can feel less like an invitation to dance along with Ginger Rogers/Fred Astaire and more like being caught in a Groundhog Day–like cycle of repetition. And maybe one’s cat is the only source of unconditional positive regard that one gets. In that case, what does it take to ask for and give yourself permission to start all over again?
Written and performed by Peyton Smetana under the direction of Emly Beloate, the solo drama My Cat Named Lucy is well thought out. From its pre-show music referencing a cat’s point of view of life through the giant ball of twine that is playfully tossed between Lucy the cat and the play’s protagonist, an atmosphere of whimsy pervades the show. The ritual of repetition of effort to survive is deftly used to shape the script. The subject matter is worthy and the production effort sincere, informed, and competent. It is journeyman’s work: laudable but unexalted. And by the time this 50-minute show reached its conclusion, I would have welcomed a little exaltation.
Running Time: 50 minutes
Genre: Solo/Drama
Dates and Times:
- July 21, 2024 6.00pm
Venue: Bliss, 1122 Connecticut Avenue NW
Tickets: $15
More Info and Tickets: My Cat Named Lucy
The complete 2024 Capital Fringe Festival schedule is online here.
