The Whoopi Monologues Off-Broadway Reviews

I don’t recall the singalong from either the original production or its revival, but it’s emblematic of this version’s more loose, embracing style. The attention here is on the emotional connection established between actors and audience throug...

I don’t recall the singalong from either the original production or its revival, but it’s emblematic of this version’s more loose, embracing style. The attention here is on the emotional connection established between actors and audience through Ms. Goldberg’s bright-hued portraits of people reflecting on the odd byways of their lives.

Whoopi Goldberg did it alone not once but twice on Broadway. Her solo show “The Whoopi Monologues” opened in 1984 at the Lyceum Theatre, and she starred again 20 years later in its revival, again at the Lyceum. She played five female characters, ...

Whoopi Goldberg did it alone not once but twice on Broadway. Her solo show “The Whoopi Monologues” opened in 1984 at the Lyceum Theatre, and she starred again 20 years later in its revival, again at the Lyceum. She played five female characters, and much of the show’s power and charm came from her quick metamorphoses in presenting each of these very different women.

The question is not whether these joke-laced routines work without Whoopi Goldberg. They do, especially performed here by a first-rate cast with an innate sense of comedic timing. Instead, the issue is how well these sketches hold up four (or two) de...

The question is not whether these joke-laced routines work without Whoopi Goldberg. They do, especially performed here by a first-rate cast with an innate sense of comedic timing. Instead, the issue is how well these sketches hold up four (or two) decades after their creation. (Goldberg herself dropped two monologues from the original 1984 Broadway show for the last revival, and added the one that Lewis performs.) There’s a sketchiness that’s built into the format. But part of the initial appeal, that Goldberg was embodying this grab-bag of wildly different personalities, is lost in the new format. But as a showcase for a quintet of gifted comedic actresses, The Whoopi Monologues still delivers.

The individual performances in The Whoopi Monologues may be the most fortuitous update of this revival. Goldberg was able to embody each persona with aplomb when she played them all herself, but here we are treated to five top-tier talents in one eve...

The individual performances in The Whoopi Monologues may be the most fortuitous update of this revival. Goldberg was able to embody each persona with aplomb when she played them all herself, but here we are treated to five top-tier talents in one evening. With some delightful banter and some fun stage craft where all five women appear together, The Whoopi Monologues have been reborn for a new generation and are not showing their age.

Any of the actresses—including a humorous-to-heart-wrenching turn by Kerry Washington as a teen who takes an unwanted pregnancy into her own hands—would have been formidable in tackling the entire lineup. That prospect hovers like unfinished busi...

Any of the actresses—including a humorous-to-heart-wrenching turn by Kerry Washington as a teen who takes an unwanted pregnancy into her own hands—would have been formidable in tackling the entire lineup. That prospect hovers like unfinished business, despite the polish and specificity each brings to the production. The Whoopi Monologues offers a kaleidoscopic lens into the transition from girlhood to womanhood. Goldberg’s knack for finding humor in the darkness of addiction, reproductive care, and racism never undermines the play’s potency.

The characters do a good deal of interacting with the audience—perhaps none more than Jamaican Lady (Pinnock), who ditches her life as a beachside souvenir vendor in Kingston to accompany an “incredibly wrinkled and very very tan” 85 or 90-year...

The characters do a good deal of interacting with the audience—perhaps none more than Jamaican Lady (Pinnock), who ditches her life as a beachside souvenir vendor in Kingston to accompany an “incredibly wrinkled and very very tan” 85 or 90-year-old man to the States as his “companion.” She calls him “The Old Raisin.” And when she begins a story about their sexual encounter—“Let me tell you something in praise of the older man”—if you’re a silver-haired gent seated down front, be prepared to share the spotlight. “Them old raisins zero in and go right for the money.” On Saturday ni

Whitney White’s staging is filled with only occasional bits of stage business (aided in part by Hana S. Kim’s projections) that add some theatricality to the proceedings; I especially enjoyed watching the five women onstage together doing The H...

Whitney White’s staging is filled with only occasional bits of stage business (aided in part by Hana S. Kim’s projections) that add some theatricality to the proceedings; I especially enjoyed watching the five women onstage together doing The Hustle. But being one of our smartest directors, White clearly knows that, in these ultra-capable hands, Whoopi’s words speak for themselves.

While The Whoopi Monologues occasionally feels dated, the collection is at least as enjoyable as listening to the still-in-print recording of Goldberg's act. The scenic design by Studio Bent and the video design by Hana S. Kim provide nice backdrops ...

While The Whoopi Monologues occasionally feels dated, the collection is at least as enjoyable as listening to the still-in-print recording of Goldberg's act. The scenic design by Studio Bent and the video design by Hana S. Kim provide nice backdrops for the overall production. And there can be no competition for the enjoyment of seeing these five fine actresses taking on the roles in person and making them their own.

Director Whitney White’s staging leans more into action. Her cast moves around the stage more, high-fiving theatregoers, unbuttoning a jacket to reveal sexy lingerie, and getting down on a dance floor. It’s a busier take, but it's not more effect...

Director Whitney White’s staging leans more into action. Her cast moves around the stage more, high-fiving theatregoers, unbuttoning a jacket to reveal sexy lingerie, and getting down on a dance floor. It’s a busier take, but it's not more effective. Another issue is that sketches can ramble, lack nuance, and feel dated, and these script weaknesses stick out more as other actresses step up. Cast members have varying degrees of success at making Goldberg's characters pop.