Whoopi's Solo Act Reimagined with Five Actors

The Off-Broadway production of "The Whoopi Monologues" has opened at Lincoln Center's Mitzi Newhouse Theater, with Kerry Washington leading a cast of five actresses. This revival reimagines Whoopi Goldberg's iconic 1984 solo show, which originally featured Goldberg playing all five distinct female characters herself, a feat she repeated in its 2004 Broadway revival.

The current production incorporates dynamic staging, with Whitney White directing and providing flashy interludes between skits. Cha See's disco lighting and Studio Bent's scenic design, featuring five backstage dressing rooms, contribute to a visually engaging experience. Hana S. Kim's video designs further enhance the show, projecting images onto the dressing room doors which sometimes serve as screens.

Despite the elaborate production, the review notes a significant loss compared to Goldberg's original solo performance. The power and charm derived from one actor's quick metamorphoses are missing. The most compelling characters, according to the review, are Fontaine, a PhD junkie visiting the Anne Frank Museum, and Lurleen, a woman experiencing menopause. Other characters include a Black girl aspiring to be blonde, a naive Jamaican woman unaware of her exploitation, and a quintessential Valley Girl.

While Goldberg's writing offers wit, the article suggests some of the character conclusions are overstated. The play's ending for Surfer Girl, for instance, is deemed overly dramatic. Additionally, elements like the Valley Girl dialogue are noted as dating the monologue.