Known as the woman who made feminism approachable, Erma Bombeck is given a loving dedication through Arizona Theatre Company’s newest show, “Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End.”
Written by sisters Allison and Margaret Engel, “At Wit’s End” is a one-woman biopic celebrating Bombeck, a famed humorist, columnist and author who rose to prominence in the 1970’s.
ATC’s newest production stars Jeanne Paulson as Bombeck, whose clever stories and one-liners kept the audience laughing from start to finish. In fact, for the first fifteen minutes or so of the play, the audience I was in laughed after nearly every sentence.
A mini museum, filled with Bombeck’s books and articles and decorated with a mod aesthetic, welcomes patrons when they step into the lobby. There’s also a tiny TV playing one of her TV appearances that looks like it came straight out of a 1970’s family room.
Before the show starts, facts about the celebrated author’s life are shared by a live speaker for viewers to enjoy as they settle in. It sets the stage for what will be a loving tribute to a woman whose relatable writings made her a treasured friend among the 30 million readers from the over 900 newspapers Bombeck’s column appeared in.
It may sound like a tough job for a lone actress to keep an audience’s attention for over an hour, but Paulson does a more than admirable job.
Just as Bombeck stole the hearts of mothers across the nation with her wit and charm, Paulson’s joyful performance is sweet, funny, and captivatingly charming. Often times while delivering her lines, she’ll look up at the sky with a look of breathless happiness; then, the next minute, she’s delivering a clever and cutting line with a bright smile.
Although Erma Bombeck is the only character striding around the stage, occasionally there are mentions of other characters: Bombeck will gesture to a table and speak to the chairs as if there are kids sitting there, and she’ll open the door to let them out–and then close it again when it knocks, interacting with the space in a manner indicating there are people there. It’s a unique effect that is surprisingly compelling, and Paulson’s convincing performance helps to sell these unique set decisions.
As Erma Bombeck goes through her beautiful, mod house, nostalgically 70’s courtesy of Scenic Designer Jo Winiarski, a talented crew helps to sell the story, whether the colorful backlight shifts to a vivid hue—thanks to Lighting Designer Jaymi Lee Smith—or a letter slips over a door as children in the background cry about how they want McDonald’s for dinner.
Although it’s short, ATC’s “Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End” is a poignant and sweet play that faithfully brings to live a beloved Arizona icon. Humor flows off the Herberger stage in this perfectly-crafted play.
Contact the reporter at sosulli2@asu.edu.
