By Jami Brandli
A Joint World Premiere with Moving Arts at Atwater Village Theatre in Los Angeles and in Association with Moxie Theatre in San DiegoIt’s 1960 in North Orange, NJ. Clytemnestra and Medea are now discontented housewives, and Antigone is the teenage girl next door struggling with the rules of her overbearing uncle. On the surface, they’re seemingly blissful to follow the “rules” of Emily Post, the American author famous for writing on etiquette. But that’s just the surface. Then Cassandra, a working girl, moves into their neighborhood and all routines are interrupted. Cassandra is determined to finally break the curse of Apollo, the gorgeous and egotistical god who gave her this “gift” of prophecy but made it so no one would ever believe her. He makes it clear his curse is practically indestructible: yet all she must do is convince someone to believe her. Can Cassandra convince them they now have a choice in this modern era? That they don’t have to live a doomed existence? Can all four women escape their ongoing fate?
A Joint World Premiere with Moving Arts at Atwater Village Theatre in Los Angeles and in Association with Moxie Theatre in San DiegoIt’s 1960 in North Orange, NJ. Clytemnestra and Medea are now discontented housewives, and Antigone is the teenage girl next door struggling with the rules of her overbearing uncle. On the surface, they’re seemingly blissful to follow the “rules” of Emily Post, the American author famous for writing on etiquette. But that’s just the surface. Then Cassandra, a working girl, moves into their neighborhood and all routines are interrupted. Cassandra is determined to finally break the curse of Apollo, the gorgeous and egotistical god who gave her this “gift” of prophecy but made it so no one would ever believe her. He makes it clear his curse is practically indestructible: yet all she must do is convince someone to believe her. Can Cassandra convince them they now have a choice in this modern era? That they don’t have to live a doomed existence? Can all four women escape their ongoing fate?
“BLISS (or Emily Post is Dead!) is an intelligent, fierce exploration of second-wave feminism interspersed with ancient legends. Anna Bahow’s thoughtful yet brutal direction . . . sets a strong precedent for female-driven plays in the Me Too era.... Equal parts Real Housewives, Mad Men and myth, BLISS perfectly sums up today’s dejected Hillary supporters, recovering assault survivors and persecuted women of color in one angry climactic line: ‘I am not your girl anymore!’” – Lauren Emily Whalen, Windy City Times
"Brandli’s clever script deftly paints the three tragic figures with enough comic playfulness that we are invited to laugh as they go through the reiterated motions of their own damnation: a wonderful narrative trick that works because of excellent writing and even better performances from a stellar cast under the strong direction of Anna Bahow." Highly Recommended
– Karen Topham, ChicagoOnStage.com
"BLISS (Or Emily Post is Dead!) is uncomfortable, humorous, and incisive in all the right ways. Especially when it comes to race and gender, it makes it very clear that between Ancient Greece, Mid Century New Jersey, and America today that not as much has changed as we might hope." Critics' Picks
– Bec Willett, PerformInk
"Director Anna Bahow keeps her strong cast charging forward for more than two hours, finding impressive nuance along the way."
– Justin Hayford, Chicago Reader
"Smartly directed by Anna Bahow, [she]makes you believe in the tribulations of Clementine (Clytemnestra), Maddy (Medea) and Antonia (Antigone). The play is funny and poignant and addresses relevant issues of racism, sexism and second-wave feminism.
- Debra Davy, Splash Magazine
"Brandli’s clever script deftly paints the three tragic figures with enough comic playfulness that we are invited to laugh as they go through the reiterated motions of their own damnation: a wonderful narrative trick that works because of excellent writing and even better performances from a stellar cast under the strong direction of Anna Bahow." Highly Recommended
– Karen Topham, ChicagoOnStage.com
"BLISS (Or Emily Post is Dead!) is uncomfortable, humorous, and incisive in all the right ways. Especially when it comes to race and gender, it makes it very clear that between Ancient Greece, Mid Century New Jersey, and America today that not as much has changed as we might hope." Critics' Picks
– Bec Willett, PerformInk
"Director Anna Bahow keeps her strong cast charging forward for more than two hours, finding impressive nuance along the way."
– Justin Hayford, Chicago Reader
"Smartly directed by Anna Bahow, [she]makes you believe in the tribulations of Clementine (Clytemnestra), Maddy (Medea) and Antonia (Antigone). The play is funny and poignant and addresses relevant issues of racism, sexism and second-wave feminism.
- Debra Davy, Splash Magazine