arts
Girl, Interrupted review
In 2021, the singer-songwriter Aimee Mann (perhaps best known, as a solo artist, for her contributions to the Paul Thomas Anderson film Magnolia) released an album called Queens of the Summer Hotel, a collection of somewhat narrative tunes inspired by Susanna Kaysen’s bestselling memoir of mental health struggle, Girl, Interrupted. Mann had been commissioned to write the songs for a stage adaptation that took years (and the duration of a pandemic) to materialize. Now finally at the Public Theater in Manhattan, Girl, Interrupted is a sturdy showcase for Mann’s gorgeous, shimmering-sad compositions, but perhaps a less successful conduit for Kaysen’s arguments.
TL;DR
- The stage adaptation of 'Girl, Interrupted' at the Public Theater features songs by Aimee Mann, inspired by Susanna Kaysen's memoir.
- The play is described as a "play with music" rather than a traditional musical, with songs offering insight into characters' inner lives.
- Key characters include Susanna, Lisa, Grace, Daisy, and Polly, each with different mental health struggles.
- The stage version tones down the cinematic overstatement of the film adaptation, focusing on a more grounded portrayal.
- Aimee Mann's songs, like "Burn It Out" and "Robert Lowell and Sylvia Plath," are highlighted for their poetic insight into characters' minds.
- Director Jo Bonney's staging is noted for its restraint, which, while elegant, may lessen the impact of Kaysen's conclusions.
- Juliana Canfield's portrayal of Susanna is praised for its quiet intelligence, while King Princess offers a shrewd underplaying of Lisa.
- The reviewer suggests the production leans more towards "music with a play attached" due to the strength of Mann's songs.