The Women, directed by Dyan Hobday at Mysterium Theater, is a great ensemble piece full of talented women. The script by Clare Boothe Luce is very dated, but the challenges these women face are still very relevant today. The dialogue is witty, though a bit long winded. Definitely be prepared to sit through a three hour show, but I promise it will be worth it.

In a fabulous ensemble cast, Katt McLaren stands out as the chatty, catty Sylvia Fowler. She is strong, opinionated, and speaks very quickly so you’d better pay attention. The audience has a love/hate relationship with Sylvia, but McLaren really pulls on your heartstrings and makes you feel for her as she loses friends (and her husband) through fault of her own.

Chloe Brewer plays the sweet and innocent Peggy Day with grace and poise. She may be walking around with her head in the clouds, but she does it in style. She is the newlywed and seems to be truly in love, but falls victim to one of the greatest contributors to divorce even today: money problems.

Although they have less stage time than some of their cast members, Julianne Bancroft (Countess de Lage) and Glenda Wright (Ms. Shapiro / Dowager) are hilarious in every moment of it. They really lighten up the mood between the heavy scenes and are some of the most memorable ladies in the show.

Other standout performers are Christina Chan (Nancy Blake), Helen Clare (Maggie / Miriam), Sierra Henderson (Jane), and Emily Wood (1st Hairdresser / Miss Watts). All of the ladies come together to form a cohesive ensemble under the great direction of Dyan Hobday. Every person contributes to the overall story and the many who play multiple characters make them distinct from one another. The entire cast is enjoyable.

The set is gorgeous and enhanced by the great use of furniture and prop pieces. The scene changes are a bit long, but it is so worth it to see the result. With such a distinctive set design, I wasn’t sure if it would be easy to distinguish the different scene locations without actively utilizing your suspension of disbelief, but the furniture and other set accessories really pull each location together and make it distinctive from the one before. Additionally, having worked at Mysterium before, I am well aware of the space constraints, so it is extremely impressive that this crew was able to use and store so many different set pieces. Furthermore, the magnetic, moveable walls are a subtle element for the audience, but very effective.

There’s a gorgeous set, fabulous period costumes and wigs, and lots of beautiful, talented women–what more could you ask for? Check out The Women at The La Habra Depot Playhouse through March 3rd.

Have you seen the show? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! Haven’t seen it yet? Get your tickets below!