Off Broadway (and sometimes Broadway) Reviews and Information.

Sunday, February 23, 2020

The Sabbath Girl Delights at 59E59

The Sabbath Girl, now at 59E59 theaters, is a wonderful little romantic comedy of a show.  It starts Lauren Annunziata as Angie, a together young lady with a desire able job at a gallery and a brand-new apartment. As she shows off the apartment to her grandmother, Angelina Fiordellisi, we can feel the happiness.

She is interrupted from setting up her place by a knock on the door. This introduces Seth, Jeremy Rische, her neighbor. Seth is looking for the old occupant, who would sometimes help him on the sabbath. And now we have the New York meet cute. Together young girl, in her first apartment without roommates, and shy, adorable Orthodox Jewish man who needs help. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see where this is going, but it is a sparkling journey none the less.

The Sabbath Girl with Lauren Annunziata and Ty Molbak

The complications are raised by Ty Molbak as Blake, a hot new artist Angie is trying to get at the gallery and Laura Singerman as Seth’s sister, Rachel. Ty is a great flirt, sexual and interesting, a far cry from the overbearing and obnoxious suitors in most rom-coms. It is great choice as we see Angie’s interest in this man grow.

Seth’s sister, Rachel, on the other hand, is a bit more formulaic. She does not approve of Seth’s attraction to a woman outside of their world and is not pleased. Rachel attributes Seth’s interest in Angie as a response to a bitter divorce and failing in his faith. Both obstacles are overcome in The Sabbath Girl that runs along quickly and well-paced. It is a smooth 85 minutes, but never feels rushed.

The older voice of sanity here is grandmother Nona, played by experienced performer Angelina Fiordellisi. Nona is Angie’s sounding board and confidante. She offers reasonable advice, a shoulder to lean on and is a constant reminder of the happiness real love can bring.

The Sabbath Girl was written by Cary Gitter and directed beautifully by Joe Brancato. If you are looking for a nice evening out, The Sabbath Girl is great. And, if you see it with someone you love, it is even better.

The Sabbath Girl
Playwright: Cary Gitter | Director: Joe Brancato | Cast: Lauren Annunziata, Angelina Fiordellisi, Ty Molbak, Jeremy Richse, Lauren Singerman

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