Thespian Thoughts – Marilyn – My Secret – Theatre Review by Sandro Monetti

MARILYN – MY SECRET
– With a wiggle and a giggle, Marilyn Monroe comes back to life in this hugely entertaining play – and what a story she has to tell!
Theatre review by SANDRO MONETTI

The secret of the title is the Hollywood bombshell’s affairs with women and she’s swiftly shown sharing intimate moments with a stripper who teaches her the secret of sexuality is to always have “moist lips and loose hips.”

But there’s plenty of racy moments with men too – including an unforgettable scene featuring Bobby Kennedy – in a show which charts the icon’s rise to becoming an international sex goddess.

It all works thanks to a dynamic performance by Erin Gavin in the title role. The British actress not only gets the babydoll voice and hypnotic movements just right, she also clearly understands the whole illusion of Marilyn and is heart-breakingly effective when she lets the mask of a smile slip in the moments when remembering her troubled youth as Norma Jean.

The supporting cast of Sereh Henesey, Sean McCracken and Merri Jamison are excellent and huge praise to the director, producer and co-writer Odalys Nanin who finds a fresh, fast moving, fascinating and fun approach to revisiting this intriguing screen legend.

MARILYN – MY SECRET
Written by Odalys Nanin and Willard Manus

Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 6pm until January 19 (Sat Dec 21 there is a 5pm & 8pm show)
At Macha Theatre, 1107 N. Kings Road, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Tickets: $35, $30 and $25. Reservations 323-960-7862 or online from Plays 411
The play has an extension (of sorts) of four show in January 2014:
January 10-18, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm.

CAST (there is a revolving cast but at this performance it was…)
Erin Gavin – Marilyn Monroe
Serah Henesey – Lily St Clair
Merri Jamison – Paula Strasberg & Natasha Lytess
Sean McCracken – Bobby Kennedy, Verge & MC

CREDITS
Produced and Directed by – Odalys Nanin
Lighting Design/Stage Manager – Carey Dunn
Dance Choreography – Lana Jennifer Harper
Publicist – Nora Feldman

Thespian Thoughts is a theatre review article on Actors Entertainment, a channel on the Actors Podcast Network, a Pepper Jay Production.