By Shari Barrett
The World Premiere of The Typist by multiple award-winning playwright Shem Bitterman (last year’s The Civil Twilight among many others) starring Noah James and Evangeline Edwards and directed by Jeremy Wechsler, Artistic Director of Chicago’s Theatre Wit, is being presented by Plays With People and Danna Hyams Productions in the intimate Hudson Guild Theatre. It’s a jazz-infused love story which transports audiences to the Summer of ’61 in a Greenwich Village basement apartment where a bourbon-soaked novelist is racing to complete his manuscript for publishing. It begins as he interviews a young aspiring writer to work as his typist to commit his words to the page. What begins as a professional arrangement with dictation, typing, coffee, repeat, becomes something more combustible between two sad and lonely people looking for a reason to keep going.
Playwright Shem Bitterman shares, “I got this idea when I learned that the sister of a friend of my mother’s typed Richard Yates’ seminal 60s masterpiece, “Revolutionary Road.” Apparently. for the duration of the job, he and she were lovers, then, once it was over, never saw each other again. Yates, the author, was nearly forgotten, yet still working. Mom’s sister’s friend in a bungalow in Florida, leaving all her money to her cats. I wondered what it would be like if these two lonely souls somehow found their way to love.” And what good is living if hope does not exist when it comes to romance?
David The Writer is portrayed by Noah James as a hot-headed perfectionist who drowns his life and self-loathing emotions with a bottle. James expertly immerses himself into the role, bringing both his short-fuse temper to the forefront in many scenes as well as his drunken stumblings bursting into sorrowful reality. Evangeline Edwards portrays The Typist, Iowa-born Suzanne who first seems to be naïve in the ways of the world, surprised that during her first interview her potential employer suggests they become lovers. But her desire to become a successful author on her own allows her to keep her head and her body intact as she works with David to get his novel finished. But soon their relationship changes and we learn there is a whole lot more to their lives once they discuss to the possibility of a long-term relationship once David’s novel is finished. But theirs is not an easy road given their need to control each other as a way to hide their own sadness.
Bitterman’s script encompasses so many universal truths about the battle of the sexes in working out relationships that everyone will identify with the ups and downs that challenge even the closest couple to survive and stay together. The dialogue is fast-paced and delivered with the necessary emotional skill by James and Edwards. They seem to know each other so well by the end of the play that it is difficult for me to believe they did not know each other prior to being cast.
Director Jeremy Wechsler adds, “What draws me to Bitterman’s script is how humanely it lets two people fumble toward each other across all the obstacles – gender, class, and the gulf between ambition and talent, asking what we owe each other as humans in terms of honesty, exposure and support.”
The relationship between the two characters is an honest look at two souls in trouble, both in desperate need of someone who can truly see them for what they are and accept all their flaws. And many of their shortcomings are brought into reality during the 90-minute production thanks to director Wechsler’s brilliant understanding of human nature, which shifts David and Suzanne’s partnership lead back-and-forth as each revels their doubts and depression while seeking much-needed emotional support.
Saxophonist Alexander Andresen appears through a literal hole-in-the-wall above the basement apartment to add to the early 60s “beat” poet vibe of Greenwich Village through performing live jazz (thanks to composer and musical director Roger Bellon) during scene breaks, thus giving the actors time for quick costume changes designed by Charly Charney Cohen. But it is Joel Daavid’s scenic design (who also received kudos from me for his intimate set for last year’s Rogue Machine hit show Adolescent Salvation) that will grab you first, making you feel as if a fly on the wall, if not one of the many rats or roaches that scare poor Suzanne during her first few visits. But thankfully, no physical pests are included in scenes!
Produced by Danna Hyams and MK Viakley, The Typist performances take place Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m.; Mondays at 7:30 p.m. at the intimate Hudson Guild Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. on Theatre Row in Los Angeles 90038 through March 9, 2026. General admission is $45, with Seniors $35 and Students $20, available at https://playswithpeople.ludus.com/ or at the door if seats available.
And do not miss director Jason Alexander’s innovative interpretation and overall fabulous production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s ground-breaking musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street now playing at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts through Sunday, February 22. I have seen this operatic musical many times at various locations and this one set in the imaginary Fogg’s Asylum in 19th Century London is by far the most creative, with a brilliant cast led by the amazing Will Swenson as Sweeney Todd and Lesli Margherita as Mrs. Lovett, incredible technical wizardry (including multi-level scenic design by Paul Tate dePoo III, costume design by Kate Bergh, breathtaking lighting design by Jared A. Sayeg, sound design by Jonathan A. Burke, hair/wig/make-up design by Kaitlin Yagen, properties design by Kevin Williams), energetic choreography by Lee Martino, and a superb 15-member orchestra led by music director Darryl Archibald.
Performances continue at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd. in La Mirada on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. There will be an Open-Captioned performance on Saturday, February 14 at 2 p.m. Talkbacks with the cast and creative team will be on Thursday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, February 19 at 7:30 p.m. Free onsite parking. Tickets range from $20 – $100 at www.LaMiradaTheatre.com or by calling the La Mirada Theatre Box Office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310. Group, student, and military discounts are available. Children under 3 will not be admitted into the theatre.
