The Wholehearted

See it if Champion lady boxer grapples with life after her attempted murder. Will her desire for revenge or love win out? Unique staging & musicality

Don't see it if You wouldn’t like a non-linear solo virtuoso performance. Confusing tone matches the struggle of the character. Some violence and nudity.

See it if you like not knowing what’s coming next, unfamiliar subjects (this doesn’t resemble any boxing movie I know of)

Don't see it if you need to feel confident that you’re reacting appropriately

Also I didn’t realize this was a solo musical, so this baffled me…but not in a bad way. The songs are catchy and the camera work and fight choreography are complex. I’m not sure if Dee’s love for Carmen is supposed to be idealized and pure, or post-traumatic lunacy. I expected a very serious show and it partly is, but there’s also humor. An unhappy reviewer might say the changes in tone were jarring; a happier one might say they didn’t emerge organically from the situation but added a new dimension to the show.

*QUASI-SPOILER/MAYBE A COMPLETE MISINTERPRETATION*
The closest thing I can think of to compare this show to is the Dixie Chicks song, “Goodbye Earl.” Reading the other reviews makes me wonder if it was supposed to be more intense and I completely missed something.... Read more Read less

See it if You like one women shows with uninventive storyline But pretty good acting and singing

Don't see it if You’re sleepy

See it if This production is highly energetic. The actress impeccably tells her story,shifting from boxing, to singing or videotaping herself.

Don't see it if You don’t like one person shows, great singing and acting or is homophonic.

See it if you are drawn to staged versions of real-life stories that chronicle a person's struggles and victories. Suli Holum as Deb is mesmerizing.

Don't see it if you dislike solo performances, multimedia productions and stories that involve emotional pain.

Also Suli Holum has a lot of talent and it shows, from sharply believable boxing to lyrical expressive singing. The show suffers a bit from too much detail in some scenes and too little in others. The intermix of historical footage with new material is well-executed and facile as storytelling technique.... Read more Read less

See it if You like one- person shows, great acting and singing.

Don't see it if You're looking for a cohesive plot you can follow easily.

Also Definitely felt like the piece could use some work... started out slow, and while I don't need to be spoon-fed info, there were some confusing elements that I don't were confusing due to time jumps - I think there are things in the plot that are just not clear. While the material wasn't the strongest, the acting and singing were great (though the singing didn't always seem to be informing the plot, it was still lovely to listen to).... Read more Read less

See it if Like a tone poem of a play -- it's a one woman musical about violence. Really interesting use of video and documentary footage.

Don't see it if Felt like sort of a wash, the experience of watching it was much like the closed circuit televisions. I felt emotionally cut off from it.

See it if You like non-linear theater with an interesting point of view with music

Don't see it if You don’t like sports, singing, or one person shows.

See it if you like psychological drama

Don't see it if you're looking for a lot of plot development

See it if you like inventive staging and storytelling, affecting stories and strong solo performances.

Don't see it if solo performances are not your thing, you prefer a more linear plot, or you are uncomfortable with homosexual themes.

See it if you love strong female performers

Don't see it if you dont want to be on the edge of your seat

See it if You enjoy performance art multi media style shows that are basically one person shows (actor and camera operator). Topic is relevant.

Don't see it if You want a smooth easy to follow show with a clear narrative from start to finish. Some high points like the singing help this along.

See it if you want an experience that effectively uses multi-media to create an additional dimension of meaning, raising the bar on use of technology.

Don't see it if you don't like one woman shows and prefer linear, traditional story lines

See it if you enjoyed the film "Million Dollar Baby" & a female's boxing career arc. If you like solo shows, non-linear plot, multi-media enhancements

Don't see it if you don't like plays with lots of flashbacks or edgy domestic violence themes or a bi-sexual protagonist who misses her first girlfriend.

Also Actress SULI HOLUM does an excellent job bringing boxer Dee Crosby to life. But Deborah Stein's script is half-baked, spending way too much time on Dee's back stories with 1st love Carmen & then the older man who would make her a champ -- but nearly kill her. Along the way, many tantalizing thematic threads get frayed as Dee returns to the mike to tape her feelings for Carmen (a lover she has not seen in 20 yrs). Stein's main theme should get more focus: not even the world's meanest boxer can hold her own when it comes to domestic violence. WHY the marriage soured is never addressed. The 65-minute play, which dragged for me, would do well with more nuance & rewriting. Please trim that "20 yrs ago when I met Carmen" story in half! It's not that interesting!... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy one women shows with a complex story of love, abuse and overcoming challenges. Physical, mental and emotional ride through life

Don't see it if You don’t enjoy 1 women show, mixed media performance or portrayed physical violence

See it if You want to see a creative one-woman play about an interesting topic.

Don't see it if You want fast-paced action.

Also It’s only a little over an hour but even so starts out slowly and could be shorter. However, the acting is strong and the singing lovely and you get drawn in.... Read more Read less