Review: “The Roommate” – Arizona Theatre Company
By Chris Curcio. Originally published in Curtain Up Phoenix.
The Roommate pairs two diverse but fascinating women who think their lives are set but realizes they are capable of adapting and adjusting their perceptions and expectations. The two roles require superb actors to make their ingrained lifestyles distinct but who evolve as they understand and learn from each other.
Sharon has settled in “a big old house” in Iowa City. To help defray expenses, she invites Robyn, a New Yorker, to share her home. Sharon has operated her secure but uninteresting life with little flair and predictability earmarks every aspect of her existence. Robyn has struggled with the challenges of a Manhattan lifestyle where adaptability is key to a successful existence. As the two share their stories and approaches, they discover they can learn and grow from their differences. Sharon can spark her life with a sparkle she’s never allowed and Robyn can achieve dry normalcy.
The Roommate debuted in 2015 and has been performed in regional theaters around the country since. It marked its Broadway premiere in 2024 with Patti LuPone as Robyn and Mia Farrow as Sharon. It is a richly textured exploration of two people who initially appear stuck with their life choices but as they dissect their worlds they discover each can benefit from what issues the other woman has experienced. It is positive enforcement that no one is forever locked in a never changing world.
Playwright Jen Silverman has created two appealing characters who explore deep crevices of each other as they transition and learn how diverse each can be. Add to this richly developed play Marsha Mason’s thoughtful staging that never wans plus two superb performances as Sharon and Robyn.
Angela Pierce’s Sharon grows into a person looking to experience the many things her rudimentary life hasn’t included while Sara Gettelfinger’s initially brusque Robyn evolves into a more caring woman who understands Sharon’s staid life as she discovers how such lessons might change her more expansionistic but problematic existence. The play shows people evolving, developing, and growing in ways each thought impossible. Silverman sparks The Roommate with humor as the play explores much darker but encouraging aspects of possible growth.
Grade: A