Arts & Entertainment Compass

The Midtown International Theatre Festival returns, and for those in the know, this is a goldmine of talent and fresh new comedic and dramatic works. Anne McDermott presented her one woman show “How to Swallow a Volcano” as part of the Midtown International Theatre Festival at the American Theatre for Actors. Her performance was directed by Padriac Lillis and developed by Matt Hoverman. I was overjoyed to hear a female writer present her own work.  

From the very beginning, we are launched into the inner workings of this woman’s relationship with her psychiatrist. There is a fear that sitting in on someone else’s therapy session will feel invasive, inappropriate, and self indulgent, but fortunately for us, that’s all the parts that make this solo piece most entertaining. We get to hear all the prickly little bits of gossip you wish you got to hear during happy hour, but a smart New Yorker reserves only for her closest confidant. Not even her best friend, and certainly not her parents, but her therapist of 20 years. 

Anne’s story begins and ends with that bittersweet karmic revelation that you really don’t know how good you’ve got it until it’s gone. It’s only in the closeness and consistency of a weekly session where one finds the kind of inertia in a relationship that so many contemporary connections lack. The line between the play and real life is so paper thin, you forget that you’re in a theatre watching a play; and for a moment you think ”is this woman is telling me her life story? How close to the truth is Anne’s play?” I wouldn’t hesitate to say some of the messiest bits are probably raw truth. Anne is very relatable in the piece, and her effort to connect with her audience does not go unnoticed. I have to assume that this show is her confession. 

As far as the writing goes, I found the title a bit misleading. We never quite got to the caldera of the volcano, and instead of being able to feel the heat of knowing thyself, Anne tended to shy away from the toughest gamiest bits in favor of lighter more humorous sound bites. 

Anne gives plenty of emotional and vocal variety: both highs and lows with introspective heady moments mashed up with terrific low brow humor, making naughty jokes and judgmental reductive impressions. I laughed a lot watching her roll around on the Freudian analysis couch telling us stories about her romantic failures. I wouldn’t necessary call her show just “a comedy” or “a play” but closer to “a remembrance” or “a tribute” to somebody who changed her life: the Pamela to which the whole evening is dedicated. Anne McDermott is an incredible storyteller! I was unsurprised that she already has a following, and I’m excited to hear or read her next monologue.