Brittany Bradford and Emma Ramos (Photo by Rich Soublet II)
Reviewed by Keelyn McDermott
Old Globe Theatre, San Diego
Closed.
RECOMMENDED
Karina Curet and Emma Ramos. (Photo by Rich Soublet II)
When, as a woman, there’s a societal expectation to become a mother, how do you know if the decision to do so is really your own? We cannot escape our truest desires however much we edit ourselves or wish they were different, or are taught that they’re wrong. The Old Globe’s production of Amy Berryman’s Alien Girls asks audiences to think in new ways about the choices in life women are presented with, and how those choices impact their relationships. The play swirls around Carolyn (Brittany Bradford), who’s pursuing a creative life, and Tiffany (Brittany Bradford), whose work is suffering due to her pregnancy. It chronicles their friendship from early adulthood to their mid-30s and the tension between love and the pursuit of artistic success.
Scenic Designer Jason Sherwood’s set resembles a ‘70s conversation pit, a striking choice that blends together the intimacy, demands of the various locations, and the “alienation” of it all. Sherwood’s design honors the pace of the production, which features many rapid time jumps not slowed by additional set pieces – aligning with director Jaki Bradley’s intention to honor the play’s language above all. Bradley makes the transitions quick but intelligible, taking us through different time periods, locations or even planets with the same three actors and set. One moment comes to mind –where the lines between time periods come undone and a poem from their 20s accompanies a medical check-up – as a particularly powerful reminder of how the love for another can persist even when circumstances irrevocably change.
Leads Bradford and Ramos honor Berryman’s expertly crafted characters with a devotion that pierces the heart. As a woman especially, but as anyone with a mother or female best friend, it’s impossible to not find something to respond to in this show. The woman sitting next to me cried through the entire thing and another responded vocally with “yes” and “uh huh’s” to a scene about mothers.
A deeply moving experience that asks us to think more empathetically about women’s choices – to conceive or not, to work or not, to marry or not – Alien Girls is more than worthwhile.
The Old Globe. 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego, CA 92101. Closed. https://www.theoldglobe.org/pdp/26-season/alien-girls/#?startDate=2026-05-01&%3FendDate=2026-05-31. Running time 115 minutes, no intermission.
