A Woman of the World

I am anything but a fan of one-person shows, and I find narration to be the mortal enemy of drama. This play does not entirely elude the perils of the format, but I found it to be a worthwhile seventy-five minutes in the theatre. Kathleen Chalfant plays Mabel Loomis Todd, a forthright presence indeed, and the setup presents her delivering a lecture about her life and experience as editor of Emily Dickinson's poetry. The writing is intelligent, wry, and pungent, with great feeling and abundant humor throughout. The actress's portrayal is deft, masterful, and altogether winning. This is a play suffused with the love of nature, of poetry, and of living. If you're a fan of any of these, I recommend it.