Review: ERMA BOMBECK: AT WIT'S END at Arena Stage

For a long time now, I have had a small placard displayed in my house that says, "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'". It's a wonderful sentiment, and even better is the person who said it.

The food for thought comes from columnist and author Erma Bombeck, whose humorous descriptions of the life of a housewife and mother became extremely popular starting in the mid-1960s. Bombeck, a former journalist and mother of three living in Centreville, Ohio, constantly worked to find the humor in the hard work, and to let other housewives and mothers know that they were not alone.

Years later, she is the subject of the latest Arena Stage production ERMA BOMBECK: AT WIT'S END, presented as part of the Women's Theatre Festival, and directed by DAVID ESBJORNSON.

Bombeck, played by delightful Austin-based actress BARBARA CHISHOLM, greets the audience, and proceeds to talk about her everyday, as well as her escalating popularity and career. She discusses working as a child tap dancing to help pay bills, losing her father, meeting her husband Bill at a newspaper. Through Chisholm's performance, you can see an inherent excitement in Bombeck, who, like many women of her time, wanted to be recognized and heard as more than just the wife at home. You also get a constant sense of the humor and determination that made her famous.

Writers ALLISON ENGEL and MARGARET ENGEL cover a significant portion of Bombeck's story, especially her work to promote the Equal Rights Amendment and help hardworking women like herself. There are moments that pull heartstrings, like Bombeck realizing that her children have grown up and moved on, or the announcement on a lit television that the amendment did not pass. Bombeck was a courageous, hilarious woman, and that comes through.

That being said, the script overall felt think and underdeveloped. All of Bombeck's great quotes are there, but there was constant sense of urgency with the writing, as if there was too much to get out in the hour runtime. I wish some of the stories could have been teased out more, and Chisholm could have been given slightly more actions to do on the stage.

For those who love Bombeck, this show is a great reminder of her character and the quotes that stick with all of us who have read her work. Chisholm's performance is wonderful and vibrant, and the themes are reminders of current struggles and how long they have gone on. Overall, I wish it was better put together, but I would rather this be put on than for people to ever stop taking notice of the witty, wonderful Mrs. Erma Bombeck.

ERMA BOMBECK: AT WIT'S END plays at Arena Stage as part of the Women's Theatre Festival through November 8th. For more information, visit the production page. Photo credit: C. Stanley Photography

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