Fun. I can't find a better word to describe A Night of Well Adjusted Ladies, from Venzin-Althaus Explosion!. The premise rests on both writers', Megan Venzin and Emily Althaus, Mother. Real life experiences are often the most terrifying subject for a writer to bring forth, but both do so without any sign of trepidation. That courage likely stems from the troubles each had with their mother. One mother suffers from alcoholism and the other suffers from narcolepsy.
Both women share their stories with raucous humor holding nothing back from their lives. Whether is was a mother hanging out of her bathing suit or a mother falling asleep while in line at a fast-food restaurant, the embarrassment of the past makes for hilarity today.
A simple set that consists of an easel with a massive pad of paper gives the stories the canvass needed to come to life with the voices and motions of the actors. The drawings on the giant pad of paper act as transitions between each story, but pack a funny tone that makes each anecdote better.
The audience was charmed in near unison by the duo and their pre-show work of asking for interesting memories about things mothers had done paid off when they read them at the end of the show, adding in some improved comments. What I found most important about the show was that at no point did it strike me that either of the two performers did not love their mother. They have had struggles, but they clearly found the humor in some of life's challenges and give the audience the chance to share. Take them up on the chance to share.