A review of “I Have too Many Feeling,” written and performed by Bethany Vee and directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson at the Hollywood Fringe Festival.
The Hollywood Fringe this year has been a miss mash of live and online productions, sometimes a mixture of both. But, you have to give it to them for trying to keep theatre alive through some pretty harrowing circumstances. I was able to see a few live performances and several online. Although I do miss theatre in the flesh, so to speak, over the past year and a half I think performers and producers have got pretty nifty at adapting to our new “normal.”
Bethany Vee, the writer and performer of “I Have Too Many Feelings,” seems very comfortable with streaming. Solo performance is absolutely the best genre to see online if you have to. It can get a bit tricky with more than one actor.
However, Bethany’s show, full of humour and piercing, anecdotal observations of her own journey through discovering sexuality, ADHD, family struggles, addiction and anxiety is pretty perfect, online or in person.
She is clearly a brilliant comic, she has performed plenty of stand up and her expertise with an audience is apparent.
As Bethany takes us through her life growing up grappling with her sexuality, confused about her gender, anxious, easily distracted and a bit lost, she effortlessly manages what so many others cannot, to connect.
With her innate ability to turn darkness into laughter she opens her world to us, sweetly, hilariously and with total authenticity.
She’s a gem. A comic with that rare combination of specificity and broad appeal. She cajoles, she teases, she self depreciates and yet her story is universal, relatable, poetic and meaningful.
“I Have too Many Feeling” is a very personal show. Full of deeply found moments and brilliantly funny asides. There are characters, just a few, and a wonderful god-like narrator. But, the real star is Bethany. She needs no gimmicks or mad multi media accoutrement.
In fact, she is warmly funny, achingly honest and an absolute singular talent.
I hope she gets a show, a movie, a clothing line, anything to see her rise and rise. She deserves it. She earned it.
If you ever get a chance to see Bethany live, take it. Luckily, she has a preview of her show.