“ALIEN GIRLS”

 “Alien Girls” by Amy Berryman, playing in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre at The Old Globe, now in a world premiere, was developed in part with Center Theatre Group’s L.A. Writer’s Workshop. 

Berryman explores the relationship between two women over the course of  about a decade sharing with each other their desires, whims, career choices, and intimacy. Tiffany (Brittany Bradford) and Carolyn (Emma Ramos) both want to be writers: their career choices. They share ideas and read each other’s works and are committed to writing with the hopes that one day one of them will write a book that will be a best seller.

Emma Ramos and Tiffany Bradford

When we first meet up with them, they are college roommates and lovers until Tiffany tells Carolyn that she is pregnant. What? But? Yup! She no longer feels that way and now wants this baby because she believes motherhood is the most important job in the world. 

Although Carolyn tries to support Tiffany through her pregnancy, in a moment of questioning her motives and how Tiffany could do this to her, Carolyn writes a piece about her feelings: about Tiffany being pregnant and how betrayed she feels. The piece is accepted by The New Yorker Magazine and goes viral before Carolyn has a chance to tell Tiffany. As turnabout is fair play, Tiffany outs Carolyn to her mother, robbing Carolyn the chance to say goodbye to her on her deathbed. You can imagine the all together tight relationship the two developed over the years, goes south. 

Brittany Bradford and Karina Curet

Making an appearance in several different parts, Karina Curet is just what the doctor ordered. She is a friend to both women, editor of The New Yorker, bride to be, Karate teacher and Carolyn’s new lover. Many years later she too wants a child claiming that motherhood is the most important thing a woman can be. But!!! She wants Carolyn to carry the baby. OY! 

Directed with a light hand and allowing all the humor and sadness shine through, Jaki Bradley allows the actors room to grow and mature over a period of about ten years. Also making this all female friendship work so well is the chemistry between both Bradford and Ramos. They are each-other’s yin and yang. 

Emma Ramos and Friend Puppet

Added to this all female friendship are alien puppets. Yup! puppets from another planet, that may or may not add to Berryman’s story. They are fun to look at and are manipulated by both Bradford and Ramos but to these ears, difficult to understand. And while I’m at it, some in the audience couldn’t stop LOL as if every line was a laugh line. Not so much folks! Yes, there are many scenes that come off as funny, but going overboard just gets in the way of what the actors might say next.

Jason Sherwood takes credit for the spaceship looking set, with  flashing neon light around the perimeter by Rui Rita. Helen Q. Huang is credited for the puppet design and costumes. Sinan Refik Zafar an almost interplanetary sound design.

Brittany Bradford and Emma Ramos

I left the theatre feeling that “Alien Girls” was not my most favorite show. But writing about all female relationships, the good, the bad and the ugly isn’t always so wonderful either. 

Take yourself on a planet ride, never leave the ground, and have fun. “Alien Girls” is after all, part comedy part serious business. 

See you at the theatre.

Enjoy.

 

When:  Runs through May 10. 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays

Where: Old Globe Theatre’s Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego

Tickets: $41 and up

Photo: Rich Soublet II. 

Phone: 619-234-5623

Online: theoldglobe.org