Review: WIT & WRATH: THE LIFE & TIMES OF DOROTHY PARKER at BB's Stage Door Canteen

Dorothy Parker, the sharp-tongued wit of the Jazz Age, remains one of America’s most fascinating literary figures. In WIT & WRATH: THE LIFE & TIMES OF Dorothy Parker, Claudia Baumgarten brings this iconic figure to life in a one-woman performance that not only celebrates Parker’s legendary humor but also reveals the vulnerability and inner turmoil hidden behind her biting social commentary.

A renowned American writer, poet, and critic, Parker is best known for her sharp humor and keen observations of 20th-century society. Born in 1893, she rose to prominence during the Jazz Age as a member of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of New York City writers, actors, and critics who gathered daily for lunch and wordplay. Parker’s works, including short stories, poetry, and reviews for The New Yorker and Vanity Fair, often combined humor with darker themes like loneliness, love, and social inequality. Beyond her literary prowess, she was an outspoken political activist, advocating for civil rights and supporting anti-fascist causes, which eventually led to her being blacklisted during the McCarthy era. Despite being a product of the Jazz Age, her observations on love, gender roles, and the absurdities of life still resonate today.

Performed at the National WWII Museum’s BB’s Stage Door Canteen, Baumgarten transforms the stage into the vibrant mind of Parker. The set is simple—just some chairs, a few tables, a typewriter, and naturally, a cocktail glass—but the minimalism allows the focus to remain on Baumgarten and the words of Parker herself.

The opening moments immediately set the tone, with Baumgarten (as Parker), martini in hand, delivering one of her infamous quips: “I like to have a martini, two at the very most. After three, I’m under the table; after four, I’m under the host. Delivered with perfect timing, the line immediately draws laughter, but it also hints at the coping mechanisms Parker relied on to navigate her often turbulent life.

The show explores the forces that shaped her famous acerbic personality—her early life was marked by the loss of her mother and a strained relationship with her father. From there, the audience is taken on a journey through Parker’s life, from her days as a prominent member of the Algonquin Round Table to her later years as an outspoken political activist. As a woman who built her career on scathing social commentary, Parker could no longer stand on the sidelines of some of the more pressing issues of her time.

Baumgarten’s performance is nothing short of dynamic, balancing rapid-fire wit with quieter moments of introspection. She shifts between the sharp humor that made Parker famous and the darker, more reflective parts of her life with ease. And WIT & WRATH doesn’t shy away from Parker’s struggles with depression, alcoholism, and tumultuous relationships, including her troubled marriage(s) to Alan Campbell. In those darker moments, the audience glimpses a woman haunted by her inner demons, making Parker’s wit feel like both armor and a burden. This complexity is handled carefully, presenting a well-rounded portrait of a woman often reduced to her biting humor.

Baumgarten’s script is rich with Parker’s own words, seamlessly incorporating samples of her poems, reviews, and short stories into the narrative. Parker’s voice resonates authentically, reminding the audience of the power and timelessness of her writing. WIT & WRATH offers a moving and complex portrait of Parker, revealing the human behind the legend and making her wit, wisdom, and wounds come alive.