Photo credit: Theatre Gigante
The modest stage of Kenilworth 508 Theatre plays host to historical drama as Theatre Gigante presents I Am My Own Wife. Playwright Doug Wright’s one-man rendering of a remarkable true story delicately moves across the intimate stage. Michael Stebbins plays Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German woman who began life as a boy named Lothar Berfelde. She lived through World War II, the Nazis and Communist East Germany.
The fascinating story of a truly interesting life is revealed as Stebbins plays Charlotte and a number of other characters. The story of Mahlsdorf is every bit as interesting as the story of how her story came to light. Stebbins also puts in a heartfelt performance as a writer trying to navigate the many turns in Charlotte’s life story.
Mahlsdorf had a complicated life that included murder and intrigue during a tumultuous period in the history of Germany. Wright’s script has the opportunity to show sophisticated, conflicted politics echoing through a single person in a powerful emotional package that eschews ambiguity in favor of something much more emotionally sweeping.
The emotionality of the piece is amplified by the simplicity of the production. Directed by Isabelle Kralj with stark and primal lighting by Leroy Stoner, Theatre Gigante’s staging amplifies the basic emotion of the piece to tell a story focused on the internal struggles of a captivating person.
Through Oct. 7 at the Kenilworth 508 Theatre, 1925 E. Kenilworth Place. For tickets, visit theatregigante.org.
