REVIEW: The Roommate

The Roommate is a delightfully dark comedy that takes the viewer on an unexpected ride from a kitchen in Iowa City. Bronx native Robyn (and lesbian and vegan) moves in with divorced housewife and mother Sharon. On the surface, the women couldn’t be more different; Robyn is private and a bit edgy; Sharon is sheltered and a bit nosy. As the story unfolds, we see the two share parts of their lives with each other – some shady, some sad, some upsetting, some liberating.

The play underscores the truth that individuals need not be defined by circumstance, past experiences, or labels, that humans are so much more than what appears on the surface or on paper (white, black, straight, gay, single, coupled, Midwest suburbanite, East Coast city dweller). The theatre is intimate; audience members feel as if they are part of the setting and the story.

The performances are solid: there is laughter, music (and poetry slams!), dancing, anger, tears, confusion, compassion, and most importantly, friendship. The subject matter is provocative at times, though purposefully so. This might not be a play for everyone (mature themes for mature audiences), but it is a play for someone who wants to wholeheartedly and open-mindedly explore the question “What would you do to change your life?”

The Roommate is playing at the Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis from June 3-19, 2022. Tickets start at $20. Play time is 100 minutes, no intermission.