Review: THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE at 21ten Theatre

If I could pick one show that I think people need to see right now, it’s Jane Wagner’s masterpiece THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE. Not because it explores any current hot button issues (which thankfully it doesn’t), but because it’s about human interconnection and how we often find it in the most unexpected places – it’s a welcome and necessary reminder of our shared experience, which feels essential in today’s fractured world. Fortunately, this beautiful play is currently on stage at 21ten Theatre.

THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE premiered on Broadway in 1985, was made into a movie in 1991, and revived on Broadway in 2001 – all starring the incomparable Lily Tomlin. The play consists of short vignettes around 12 characters – from Trudy, a bag lady wearing a rainbow hat who is collecting data about human life for her space friends; to Agnus, a punk teenage performance artist; to three feminists navigating dramatically different life paths; and more. Each vignette is densely packed with both laugh-out-loud moments and thought-provoking questions about the nature of humanity and reality.

There is no better person to take up the mantle today than Brooke Totman, an actor I’ve seen on stage only once before, several years ago, but that performance still haunts me for its sheer rawness of emotion. Here, Totman displays that same emotional depth while also being extremely funny. She skillfully brings each character to vivid life while maintaining the intricate threads that connect their stories. I wanted to spend more time with all of them.

The tiny 21ten Theatre, with excellent set design by Tyler Buswell, is the perfect setting for this intimate play. Don’t miss this opportunity to both laugh at and fall in love with humanity all over again.

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