Jen Silverman’s The Roommate is a tight two-hander about empty-nesters who move in together due to economic necessity (and other, spoilery reasons), and end up in a situation neither could have predicted. The Odd Couple + The Golden Girls seems like the obvious sources of inspiration here, but this play takes a hard pivot that is both surprising and hilarious. Under the expert direction of Curt Columbus–his last show as Artistic Director, the pace is quick and the laughs are abundant. Sharon, Kortney Adams, is a recent divorcee with an adult son, who is seeking a roommate. Like many women her age, she spent a lot of her life taking care of her kid and husband, and now finds herself a bit at loose ends. Having a roommate helps with the finances, but it’s also a pretty appealing idea to have a live-in bestie. However, her roommate turns out to be Robyn, Jackie Davis, who is both standoffish and a bit mysterious. As the two women spend time together, Sharon starts to get a little confused and nosey about Robyn’s past. As this is a two-person play, the chemistry between the two performers can make or break the final production, and it’s fantastic to watch these women work together. Trinity Rep Resident Company Member Jackie Davis is always a charismatic, and frequently hilarious stage presence, and she shines as Robyn. Davis is a master of the cutting look, and she gets to deploy several of them during this show, where she makes it very clear that though she and Sharon live together, they are very unlikely to be friends. Kortney Adams’s Sharon is a bit oblivious or delusional, but persistent. She sees in Robyn a “cool girl” who has lived a very different life from her, and she seems at times like she’s trying to assimilate with her. Sharon gets to have the most development as a character, and Adams is delightful to watch evolve. She manages to hit the sweet spot of loveably daffy and also completely unpredictable. This is a character who runs the risk of seeming one-note or annoying, but Adams manages to remain someone to root for, even as you’re rolling her eyes at her choices. There is a lot that happens in the play that should be a surprise to the audience, so if this review feels a bit spare, it’s because the joy in the show is how unexpected things turn out to be. The Roommate plays Jan. 28 – March 19, 2026. It will run in a rotating repertory with William Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, which plays Feb. 12 – March 22, 2026.
