When reviewing Stalled: A New Musical, which has an all-female cast and which takes place in a Seattle "ladies' room," the first thought that comes to mind is a theatrical classic with a similar premise. The Women written by Clare Boothe Luce, and which in 1939 became a pitch-perfect film directed by George Cukor, was a satirical look at male-female relationships. It may be a sign of the times that, despite some comic moments, Stalled: A New Musical is a much darker work primarily focused on mothers and daughters. Maggie, played by Lauren Ward, has taken a job as a cleaner, and she becomes familiar with, and fond of, all the women who come by to use the facilities. There is Krystal who has a secret and whose mother, Angela, is interfering; Serena who is bitter and defensive and whose mother is absent and Emma, the maths nerd, who is possibly autistic and whose mother, Cynthia, is an overly protective self-medicator. They all come to Maggie's hideaway, and gradually their secrets are revealed. And in time, Maggie must also deal with her own issues and her relationship with her daughter, Robin. Despite the plethora of characters, all of whom are well played and nicely individuated, in the end, this show depends on the portrayal of Maggie, and Lauren Ward puts in a terrific performance. She is always believable as she moves through a gamut of emotions, and she is outstanding in the duets, such as "Beautiful Girl," with Rebecca-Jo Roberts who plays her daughter, Robin. While all of the cast do a first-rate job, for us, the other standout performance was Josie Benson's Cynthia. Her rendition of "Different Not Broken" is definitely an emotional high point of the show, and her relationship with her daughter never falls into being a cliché. In the final analysis, Stalled: A New Musical is an uplifting and insightful look into the troubled reality that often typifies mother-daughter relationships, and it is graced with some fine performances.
Rated: ★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Johan Persson
When, Where, Getting there:
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