Maiden Mother Crone

 Maiden Mother Crone
A Duet of Solo Plays
The Flea Theater
February 12, 2025 

Photo courtesy of Maiden Mother Crone

Maiden Mother Crone is a “duet of solo plays” now running at the Flea Theater.  It includes Sugarcoated, written and performed by Jen Ponton, and The Longer My Mother Is Dead, the More I Like Her, written and performed by Deborah Unger.  Both pieces are skillfully crafted, masterfully directed, and beautifully performed.  They display contrasting styles and subject matter, which, according to producer Alex Finger, allows the evening to feel like a mini festival.  

Sugarcoated begins on Jen’s seventh birthday.  She licks the icing from her cake, but doesn’t get to eat any yet.  She makes seven wishes, one for each year, but cannot say the seventh.  It is about her father.  She yearns for something from him, but cannot say it out loud.  Her mother’s birthday present to her is a week at Girl Scout sleep away camp, where she meets Oatmeal, a counselor who smells like pachouli.  This remains in her sensory recall for decades.  We follow Jen through middle school, high school, college, and into adulthood.  Her journey for love and connection is both joyous and heartbreaking, optimistic and shattering.  She is unwavering in her search for and discovery of her true self. 

Photo courtesy of Maiden Mother Crone

Jen Ponton is open, honest, and vulnerable throughout this piece.  She delivers a genuine performance, connecting with the audience and including them in every moment.  Director Tessa Slovis skillfully guided her to create each beat as a first-time discovery.  It is an intimate story and a truly remarkable accomplishment.

In The Longer My Mother is Dead, the More I Like Her, Deborah Unger faces the brutal truth of her relationship with her mother.  Memory floods back as she is in the car on the way to the assisted living center after an emergency call.  The first memory is from the day Deb was late for Kindergarten and walked home alone from school.  When the police returned her to her mother, the response was not what she expected.  Since her father was in the army, there were memories of her time in Germany, including an adventurous trip to Paris, where she broke every rule.  Every moment of exploration and growth is met with obstruction and judgment from her mother.  It was not until her mother reveals the secret of her first marriage that Deb realizes how alike she and her mother truly are. 

Photo courtesy of Maiden Mother Crone

Deborah Under gives a visceral performance in this piece.  The most striking moment is at the deathbed of her father.  Director Dominick LaRuffa, Jr. shifts the pace in this scene, allowing Ms. Unger to sincerely delve into the emotion of the moment.  This change of pace occurs again when her mother passes.  These poignant moments shine amid the tension and humor in Deb’s struggles with her mother, giving the audience a keen insight to the heart and depth of the relationships.

Maiden Mother Crone is playing at The Flea Theater through February 23.  It is a tender and joyful evening full of discovery and celebration.  Get a ticket today! 

Domenick Danza