THEATRE
REVIEW:
“MOLLY
AND MAZE” at the Hahn Cosmopolitan Theatre
KPBS AIRDATE:
John Bradshaw tells us that 95% of all families are dysfunctional. So what's a functional family? Well, "Molly & Maze," sort
of. It's a mother-daughter arrangement. Single parent family. Always has been. Sure, the mother obsesses about her daughter. She calls her "my religion." Yup,
they're co-dependent. Both are experiencing
separation anxiety, as Maze goes off to college. Both are worried about sex and drugs. The daughter doesn't do either; the mother relishes both.
But underneath the banter and the mini-battles, beyond the maternal
push for Sabbath ceremony, and neo-sixties spouting of Scientology, meditation
and macrobiotics, and behind Molly's surreptitious videotaping of their evening
together so Maze can show it to her analyst some time in the future, there's a
palpable pulsing: the rhythmic beat of
a deep, profound mutual love. Sounds a
little gooey, right? Well, sometimes it
is.
But this isn't just some treacly remembrance of a child and her
childhood slipping away. This is a real
mother-daughter team playing a real mother and daughter. It's the continually changing script of an
evolving, highly functional relationship.
Molly and Maze are really Lotus and Lili: playwright, TV star and stand-up comedian Lotus Weinstock and her
actor-musician daughter Lili Haydn. The
piece was originally written by Weinstock four years ago, when Lili was about
to leave for
It's not clear whether Weinstock really videotaped their
interactions, but she has confessed
to saving Lili's lengthy, news-and-poetry-filled phone messages from
college. Those form the basis of the
newly-created act two, which chronicles Maze's emerging maturity, independence
and sexuality, and Molly's ongoing struggle for success at standup. One of the bits she does in the show, in
fact, appeared in "Wisecracks," the recent documentary on female
standup comedians. It's hilarious in
both venues.
In this very personal play, there’s poignancy for every moment of
bathos. For every second of sentimentality,
there's real sentiment. And every
"seriosity" is offset by Lotus/Molly's outrageous, uproarious, but
thoughtful and focused humor.
Sometimes, you get the uncomfortable, voyeuristic feeling that you're
peeping through a keyhole. Some of this
stuff is perilously close to the bone -- certainly for the actors, but also for
any parent or child in the audience.
Weinstock is at her absolute best doing what she does best -- standup
comedy. Haydn is a natural
onstage. Except for that nasally whine
in her voice, she's flawless. And when
Lotus/Molly plays piano and sings her bittersweet songs, accompanied by
Lili/Maze on her mournful, achingly beautiful violin, they're in perfect
harmony.
"I used to want to save the world," says Molly, and Maze
quotes her in her commencement speech.
"I used to want to save the world.
Now I just want to leave the room with some dignity."
She does. They both do. But don't let them leave the city without
seeing "Molly and Maze."
I'm Pat Launer, for KPBS radio.
©1992 Patté Productions Inc.