Catherine Curtain and Sharon Lawrence in ‘Pen Pals.’ Photo Credit: Russ Rowland.
Veteran actress Catherine Curtin and Sharon Lawrence star in the new Off-Broadway play “Pen Pals,” which is being performed at Theatre at St. Clement’s in New York City.
“Pen Pals” is the story of two friends that are pen pals that unfolds over five decades. It written by Michael Griffo with Gail Winar, and directed by SuzAnne Barabas.
The show has a rotating cast of acclaimed actresses, so no two performances will ever be alike.
In this show, Bernie (Catherine Curtain) and Mags (Sharon Lawrence) live in two different countries (the United States and England respectively), they’ve never met, and yet they are best friends, especially since they’ve been pen pals for over 50 years.
Since they were teenagers, they’ve shared every aspect of their lives with each other, including some of their innermost secrets such as first crushes, relationships, and the drama that came in their personal lives and even health.
These two women (who started out as teens) have been through it all: the highest highs, the lowest lows (heartaches), and everything in between.
They’ve confided in each other and spoke about things that they won’t dare tell other family members or even their parents. While there is a physical distance between them (as they reside in different countries), they are still closer to each other than anyone else in the lives.
Catherine Curtin’s superb acting work as Bernie is reminiscent of a young Renée Taylor meets Lorraine Bracco. Curtin is witty, clever, frank, unapologetic, and entertaining, all in one. Curtin plays a complex character who knows how to stand her ground and she stays true to her beliefs.
Sharon Lawrence is sublime as Mags as she nails the British accent and the roller coaster of emotions that comes with her journey; her viewers will feel like they are watching a high-quality drama such as “All My Children” and “General Hospital” all over again, and Lawrence is our Finola Hughes.
The Verdict
Overall, Catherine Curtin and Sharon Lawrence were exceptional in their roles in “Pen Pals.” They were able to sustain the audience’s attention for its entire 85-minute duration; moreover, they were able to drench their viewers in a wide spectrum of raw emotions.
Compliments to Michael Griffo with Gail Winar for writing such a compelling script, which is rich in character development, and it is neat to watch it unveil as the actresses immerse us in the story in a chorological (year by year) fashion.
Director SuzAnne Barabas should be commended for her vision in bringing this piece to life.
Curtin and Lawrence’s acting performances ran the gamut in “Pen Pals,” and their play garnered 4.5 out of 5 stars. Well done.
To learn more about the show “Pen Pals,” check out its official website.