My Brilliant Divorce is a play by Geraldine Aron currently on at the Pumphouse Theatre in Auckland and starring the talented Jackie Clarke.
It’s a one-woman show about Angela, a ‘woman of a certain age,’ who’s been dumped by her husband for a much younger Mexican lover. The action takes place over three years and involves Angela confiding with the audience about her heartache, doubts, and battles with depression.
Sounds like it might be a downer right?
Well, far from it! It’s actually a very well written piece which combines a delightful mix of biting humour, slapstick, self-reflection, and of course drama.
Jackie Clarke brings charm and personality to Angela and expertly conveys the complex emotions and confusion that follows the breakdown of a relationship. Clarke’s innate comedic talent is to the fore as Angela describes her clumsy attempts to re-enter the dating pool after a very lengthy absence. Scenes where we witness her awkwardness around sex with strangers and her self-consciousness about a body that has aged and ‘slumped’ over the years are both funny and sad.
My Brilliant Divorce is a delightful and relatable tale about someone navigating the dilemmas and fears of being newly single while trying to overcome the notion that they might be past their prime.
Watch Jackie Clarke’s interview with Andrew Whiteside here:
MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE
15th – 26th May 2024
Pumphouse Theatre – Auckland
