Dara Kosberg (Photo courtesy of Dara Kosberg)
Reviewed by Amanda L. Andrei
Hollywood Fringe Festival at The Madnani Theatre
Through June 28
Grief is thorny, especially when due to the loss of a parent at a young age. The child left behind — whether a kid or in their teens — is forced to grow up far too quickly, learning to make meaning from absence amidst deep sorrow. In processing the death of her mother, Dara Kosberg has created Homecoming, a comedic solo show blending her life experiences, her mother’s cancer diagnosis and passing, and the coping mechanisms she has used to deal with bereavement.
Even when dealing with serious subjects, most of the vignettes are winsome. Kosberg is studying abroad in Australia when she gets the call about her mother (and consequently buys hundreds of hamburgers to use up her foreign currency). Childhood memories reveal the complicated relationship with a disapproving mother whose criticism of young Dara’s art is brutally honest (and, honestly, brutal). Kosberg’s decision to enroll in Teach for America receives a wave of laughter from the audience: “Why deal with my own sh*t when I could be a savior!?” she self-deprecates. One story in particular shows the lengths and danger that a mourner might take — visiting a psychic and subsequently encountering hallucinatory spirits at night. Kosberg takes it in stride, posing a question that echoes her own relationship with her deceased mother: “How do you get a spirit to respect you?”
But the question doesn’t necessarily get answered or delved into more deeply, rendering the anecdotes more like an assortment of observations and jokes that simply happen. While the moments show the absurdity of grief, they feel more appropriate for a literary memoir or confessional than a dramatic narrative or stand-up comedy routine. More often than not, characters are described in detail rather than embodied through Kosberg, which leads to the feeling of watching an audiobook narrated live. David Ford’s direction keeps her pacing, or sitting between a chair and a block, while her energy scatters through her gesticulating hands and swaying posture. The actor occasionally struggles with her lines and various accents. Intermittent musical cues and dance breaks enliven the otherwise static movement, but some of the music choices (such as “X Gon’ Give It To Ya” by DMX) are untethered to the stories.
“I’m a little broken and I’ve learned to live around the break,” she admits, while still encouraging the audience to laugh at moments that otherwise would be too melancholy. Homecoming is another way for her to reckon with the break and the thorns of grief, which Kosberg has clearly lived with for a long time.
Madnani Theater, 6760 Lexington Ave. June 7, 13, 19, 20, 28. Running time one hour, no intermission.
