Writer-performer Ruth Otero is a one-woman dysfunctional family in her latest solo show, "Ooops! I Killed My Mother." She not only plays herself, but her mouthy mama and sullen sister as well, both of whom she blames for her neuroses and need for therapy. Luckily, the titular matricide does not actually take place, giving the matriarch a chance to tell her side of the story as well.
Otero focuses on these three Puerto Rican ladies (along with a few others) and their relationships with one another, allowing them to develop and grow on viewers over the course of the intermissionless show. We basically watch Ruth grow up -- from curious child and awkward teen to aspiring actress and disillusioned adult -- and see the influences in her life that made her who she is today. Embarrassing shopping trips become lessons in finance, parental confrontations improve her mediating skills, and a failed marriage illustrates that true love is hard to find. Through it all, the young woman steels her resolve and becomes more determined than ever to make it in show business.
Director Craig Carlisle has collaborated with Otero to keep the material focused and the pacing swift. Imbued with plenty of humor, fantasy sequences, and even a musical number or two, "Ooops!" is an excellent showcase for the performer's talents. Even the Spanish segments are funny, whether or not you speak the language. Most impressive are the characterization changes: Otero captures the essence of each woman and shifts between them without the use of costumes or props, simply spinning around to suddenly transform into someone else. She makes doing a solo show look easy. (Elias Stimac, Backstage)
Presented by Double Jointed
Productions as part of the
New York International
Fringe Festival
at the Puffin Room,
435 Broome St., NYC,
Aug. 19-28.