Last night my husband and I went to see The Last Madam playing at The Southern Repertory Theater. We just happened upon this theater while walking around in Canal Place looking for the movie theater. The movies that were playing all seemed very unappealing but we were blessed with passing right by the Repertory Theater (it is kind of hard to miss if you walk all the way up to the movie theater). As both of us used to work in Theater and like to partake occasionally for old time sake we bought tickets and caught the show.

The show is based on the novel of the same name by Christine Wiltz. We follow Norma Wallace through the trials and errors of planning a big party for the bigwigs of New Orleans.

Within the first ten minutes, they try to shock the audience with as many curse words as possible and then proceed to name drop places and people you will recognize throughout the play. Also, the characters (especially Norma) have no arch or any real growth at all. After saying all this let me say the place was packed, I don’t know why but it was and most people were laughing in all the right places.

At the end everyone clapped as any good audience should but some also stood when the cast returned for curtain call. This is the second run for the show this season so it must speak to people in a way I cannot yet understand. I will say however that it made me want to buy the book. I can feel that there was information the playwrights were trying to tell me that was overshadowed by the play itself.

Southern Repertory Theater is a fun little blackbox with a very good cast and so no matter what I think the numbers seem to prove me wrong. In short check it out for yourself.

Related posts:

1. we could use a telepath
2. ….so the priest says, “it was the alter boy!”
3. Bustout Burlesque
4. Former New Orleanian shoots, scores!
5. We can either live with it, or do something about it