Review: “Diary of a MILF” at Theatre Row
Anthony J. Piccione
New York Theatre Critic
Earlier this month, I had the chance to interview the actress and comedian simply known as “Meshelle”. Without a doubt, as I interviewed her, you can tell how passionate she was about performing and not letting her family life get in the way of doing what she loved, judging by her answers. When I had the chance to attend her show this past weekend, that passion once again shined as vividly as ever, as did her talent as a character actor.
True to its title, Diary of a MILF – meaning “Mother I’d Love to Follow”, in this case – is a one-person show which allows the self-described “Indie Mom of Comedy” to share her story as someone who has long aspired to be a successful stand-up comedian, only to let family life – and all the chaos and stresses that come with it, just as much as any rewards – get in the way of it. If any theatergoers in attendance had no idea what it was like to deal with kids, as well as other parents, teachers, etc., you certainly had at least some idea, after hearing Meshelle’s vivid and hysterical stories.
While she may primarily identify as a stand-up comedian, you can tell that she’s had her share of past acting experience, as well, judging by the range of characters she depicts in her life. From members of her family to the young teacher of her kids to the rich, stuck-up mom of other children, she effortlessly portrays a caricature of various characters in her life, in a way that leaves audience members laughing, while enhancing the vivid detail she adds to her story. She also proves to be quite a talented singer, with some of the musical portions – along with her character portrayals – proving to be among the highlights. My favorite segment was toward the beginning, when the classroom teacher proves intimidated by Meshelle’s Kwanzaa-themed song performed for the class, which she reenacts for the audience.
Only time will tell exactly what will be next for Meshelle. After all, as she’s shown us in her show, it’s not exactly easy being a mom of several kids, all the time. However, while this was not the first time that NYC audiences – as she’s presented this show at the Midtown International Theatre Festival in the past – I have a feeling it won’t be the last. It’s hard to keep artists as talented and as devoted to their craft as this one away from the stage, and if family life didn’t stop her from doing this production, I doubt it will stop audiences from seeing her again, in the future.
“Diary of a MILF” ran for one night only at Theatre Row on September 22nd as part of the United Solo Theatre Festival. To learn more about Meshelle, visit www.meshelle.net.