L.A. Review: 'Drunk With Hope in Chicago'

In her one-person show "Drunk With Hope in Chicago," Tara Handron performs a series of monologues describing different women's experiences with alcoholism. With its serious subject matter and solo-show format, this production could easily have slid down the slippery slope to theater-as-therapy, but Handron avoids that pitfall by including a great deal of humor and, yes, hope.

Handron has been performing the show around the country for four years, and her performance has the polished and confident qualities that come with practice. She smoothly transitions from character to character, giving each of the dozens of women she portrays a distinctive voice and personality.

Handron based the show on her graduate research about alcoholism, and though her writing is clear, the script could have a more defined story arc. The length and pace could also be improved by trimming a few repetitive points, but on the whole the play tells poignant stories in a way that connects with the audience.

Presented by What's a Girl to Do Productions as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival at Theatre of Note, 1517 N. Cahuenga Blvd., L.A. June 21–23. Remaining performances: Fri., June 22, 6:30 p.m.; Sat., June 23, 8 p.m. (323) 455-4585 or www.hollywoodfringe.org.