Beloved
About the show
This darkly humorous and sexually graphic one-woman show asks: what are you willing to sacrifice to achieve fullness in life? Originally produced produced in Stockholm, the play was adapted into the film 'Pure.'
Katarina is a restless, beautiful young woman who is trapped in a mundane daily routine and a passionless relationship. She meets Adam, a celebrated conductor at a prestigious opera house and climbs the social ladder in search of an enlightened, heightened, and pure reality. 'Beloved' depicts the challenges of a modern woman in search of herself and the shifting power dynamic that exists between Katarina and a successful older man that she admires. Is this a passionate love affair or a brutal game of power, gender and class?
“A lovely new Swedish play....With heart and humor, Langseth’s play transcends cultural barriers to push against the line between love and obsession, healthy change and rash infatuation...DiLorenzo is charming and captivating as Katerina...Curtiss’ direction moves the play along at a riveting pace...The clarity with which every element of this play is addressed is dramaturgically bulletproof. ‘Beloved’ is worth battling crowds to experience before its brief run comes to an end.” Full Review
"Katarina delivers an extraordinary monologue describing her social, cultural, intellectual and sexual growth while in thrall to Adam – and the price she pays for it...Elinor DiLorenzo’s performance as Katarina is spot on, capturing the passions, the frustrations, the aspirations, the resentments and the ambivalences of a young woman in today’s politically correct yet still largely patriarchal society. It is a performance not to be missed." Full Review
"DiLorenzo’s performance, in many ways, is a humbling lesson on how young women fall for manipulative, older men...'Beloved’s' words are real, quick-witted, and devastating. Katerina feels like a a living zombie; the vivacious corpse of a young woman that never had a shot at life. For however dynamic and enthralling DiLorenzo plays her, this character feels like she is dying in the 'humdrum' of what her life is supposed to be versus what is could be with Adam." Full Review
"Discovering how life works is what resonates the most in Lisa Langseth’s one-woman show...The strength of playwright Lisa Langseth’s writing is her ability to present real life and draw the audience in. 'Beloved' leaves the audience wanting to know more about all the various characters...I left 'Beloved' with a million questions, but instead of wanting to ask the playwright, I wanted to ask Katarina herself. I will be mulling over her experiences for quite some time." Full Review
"The play attempts to entangle us in with the strands of her overriding urgency. She’s upset, that’s clear, but as directed with an unending need for movement and distraction by Kathy Curtiss, the tremor in her voice never digs in deep enough to her terror and discomfort...I wanted weight in her voice and to feel the trapped passion in her soul...But it never felt that dangerous or violent, just nervous and frustrated like a teenage girl not getting what she wants." Full Review
“Dark tale of illicit passion...The play would benefit from slowing down somewhat as the breakneck pace inhibits the opportunity to truly get to know the characters...There is a plot twist late in the play...Unfortunately, the development is both too sudden and wildly unbelievable, and the play never completely recovers...By the end of the evening we know where we are and how we got there — which may be more than can be said for the existentially adrift main character." Full Review
"It’s difficult to find any socially redeeming value in 'Beloved'...This is a one-person work and DiLorenzo’s performance as Katerina is nothing short of heroic...We watch Katerina grow intellectually–reading Kant and Spinoza—and culturally—listening to Mahler, among others. However, she doesn’t grow in terms of character...There are graphic descriptions of sexual activity yet they are not erotic. Surely the title, 'Beloved,' is ironic...The excellent direction is by Kathy Curtiss." Full Review
"As a solo play, it’s a straightforward memory piece that has some film noir twists such as getting away with murder but is not very compelling...The blonde and animated Ms. DiLorenzo employs a slight Scandinavian accent, is quite engaging and holds attention for 75-minutes. It’s a strong performance exhibiting a range of emotion in routine material. Director Kathy Curtiss’ staging of the bulk of the piece is smooth and varied." Full Review
See it if you like to be challenged. This is a story about a young woman and the choices she makes -- most of which are not good.
Don't see it if you don't like solo performances. Or if you want clear, concise storytelling. This one is very messy with unexpected twists & turns.
Also An award worthy performance.
See it if you enjoy well-acted and funny monologues. Very entertaining and different.
Don't see it if you are offended by sexually explicit scenes and profanity and prefer plays or musicals.
See it if You like one woman show. Very smart, good acting, good story
Don't see it if If you don’t like one woman show
See it if you want a great one-woman show that has a direction and great acting and a story line that is thought-provoking and has a messaage.
Don't see it if crude language is not your thing.
Also Elinor DiLorenzo captivates from the first word. Well-acted and she ma... Read more Read less
See it if you enjoy strong acting (and a solid script). Dilorenzo holds your attention nonstop for 90 minutes - she's funny, quirky and a little scary
Don't see it if You're offended by swearing or descriptions of sexual acts - although both are just a small (but meaningful) part of the play.
See it if One woman show scorned is of interest to you
Don't see it if Provocative situations offend you.
See it if If you like a deep show that lies even deeper beneath the surface. Good directing and acting as well as sound.
Don't see it if If you dont wsnt to think. This show will get past a passive viewer. Very thought provoking.
See it if If you want to see a one woman show about the other woman. This woman is angry, jilted and doesn’t stay at jobs or with relationships long!
Don't see it if You don’t like people who live in the moment without thinking of others. If you think extra marital affairs are trashy.
See it if OK with fearless actress portraying woman on the edge & sliding to madness over an affair. Billed as dark comedy, but I found it just dark.
Don't see it if Don't like solo shows, acted-out descriptions of graphic sex, or annoyed if actor plays constantly with hair. Edgy, odd, unresolved plot.
Also Despite my lowish score, I did stay absorbed with the story (until the... Read more Read less
See it if you want a current take on love with many perspectives shared by an enthusiastic actress in a solo performance. Great classical music.
Don't see it if you want to hear every word spoken. I missed much from row H due to a soft voice and some background music.
See it if you like one woman shows, like thought provoking, soul searching theater
Don't see it if do not like obscene/sexual language and/or acts, you are left feeling uncomfortable at the end of a the show
See it if You are interested in a deep-dive into one woman's intellectual awakening and extramarital affair.
Don't see it if You are hoping for any new insights to these themes or a resolution to the character's situation
Also After reading some of the other reviews, I feel like I saw a different... Read more Read less
See it if You want to see a one person show that’s NOT an autobiographical show. A fun story, a little hard to follow at times.
Don't see it if You want a seamless show. Not sure if the trouble comes from the translation or actor error but some points were confusing or uneven.
See it if you want to watch a show delivered by a very unlikable character. She does nothing but complain while continuously playing with her hair.
Don't see it if you want to watch a pleasant character with some redeeming qualities.
See it if It’s an ambitious piece and could be great in the righ hands.
Don't see it if Don’t like solo shows.
See it if You're interested in one woman's account of her unhappy relationship with her very poor choice of a boyfriend from hell she can't get rid of
Don't see it if A endlessly whiney baby doll voice endlessly complaining about her bad choices and mistreatment would drive you up a wall--like it did me.
See it if You enjoy seeing a woman with an incredibly annoying voice complain about everything in her life.
Don't see it if You have anything else to do. I mean it. Wash your hair? Take out the garbage? Clip your nails? All of these are a better use of your time.
See it if you get off hearing a young woman curse like a truck driver.
Don't see it if You want a show with a watchable plot or an actress who sounds like a professional
See it if Beloved is an emotional rollercoaster, with a heroine who wants to transform her life through art and love, and a storyline with a tragic
Don't see it if You do not like one-person shows
Also plot twist. Elinor DiLorenzo delivers a compelling, amazing and terrif... Read more Read less
See it if you like one-woman shows. want to see a woman wrestling with the fallout from intense interpersonal drama.
Don't see it if contains a lot of obscenities and sexual frankness. not a linear narrative. doesn't wrap up everything in a neat package.
Also Ellinor DiLorenzo gives an absorbing, manic, nervy performance. When t... Read more Read less
See it if you enjoy a solo show with frank explicit language that charts a young woman's "rite de passage" steered by a cultured, suave, married lover
Don't see it if the "F" word & sexual situations offend you; if you're prudish; if adultery is offensive to you; if you prefer a more family friendly show
Also "Beloved" is a Bildungsroman focused on the psychological, intellectua... Read more Read less
See it if you want to see a well written one person show with a fairly novel perspective and decidedly adult themes.
Don't see it if You don;t like one person plays, excessively sexual (verbal) content, and little production design value.
Also Although I generally don't like one person shows, this was better than... Read more Read less
Cast & Creatives (6)
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