REVIEW: Faith Salie seeks ‘Approval’ in her new one-woman show
Photo: Faith Salie stars in Approval Junkie, a one-woman show based on her book. Photo courtesy of Daniel Rader / Provided by BBB with permission.
Approval Junkie, the new one-woman show from comedian and journalist Faith Salie, is a 90-minute journey into the personal and professional obstacles and accomplishments in the writer’s life, all framed around the idea of approval and why one seeks out this appreciation from others. There are anecdotes about Salie’s family, including the influence of her parents, and her professional highlights, including a touching story about a 104-year-old voter in this last presidential election. The stories are presented in a lighthearted, humorous manner, which matches Salie’s comedic roots, but underneath the storytelling are some heartfelt messages about identity, womanhood, careers, relationships and, above all else, approval.
The show, currently playing through Dec. 12 at off-Broadway’s Minetta Lane Theatre, is part of the Audible Theater initiative, which has brought a bevy of one-person shows to New York audiences (and virtual Audible listeners). Salie’s play seems especially well-suited for the project because the stories being told during this theatrical evening are pulled from her book of the same name. In fact, one could argue that the strongest attribute of the play are the thoughtful words that Salie uses to describe her life and ruminations on approval.
The actual staging of Approval Junkie is simple, yet effective. The Minetta Lane Theatre is decked out with a colorful backdrop that sometimes shows cartoons or other images to complement the story being told. For the most part, there are no props or elaborate sets, and the direction from Amanda Watkins has Salie offering her monologue stage left and then stage right, and then stage left again. One-person shows are difficult to heighten with snazzy direction, so Watkins and Salie simply let the words take over the evening, which is the right decision.
Some of the jokes throughout Approval Junkie produce well-deserved laughs from the audience, while others merely induce smiles. Although the stories are universal, the appeal of Salie’s presentation style and sense of humor will depend on each theatergoer. Likely there are NPR fans in the audience because one of Salie’s most prominent gigs is as a frequent guest on the comedy game show Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me! Others in the audience probably adore her work on CBS Sunday Morning, and these shows’ influence and impact can be felt here. Like her best journalism stories, Approval Junkie feels like a conversation with a beloved friend, perhaps a trip down memory lane, a journey for a few chuckles and deep thoughts about life and lessons learned.
There are surprising moments over the course of these 90 minutes as well. There is no rigid chronology to the storytelling; instead, the content is presented topically, so different chapters in Salie’s life come out of nowhere (the Bill O’Reilly segment in particular). This keeps the play fresh and unexpected, but sometimes it also means the piece meanders and gets lost in its own plotting. For the most part, the evening is an introspective journey into the topic of approval and why Salie, and by extension the world, constantly seeks it out.
Approval Junkie is a welcome exploration of a life lived and how one’s personal and professional accomplishments can be framed by the yearning for appreciation and endorsement. There’s a lot to think about after this one-woman show, and a lot learned as well.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Approval Junkie, written by and starring Faith Salie, is playing the Minetta Lane Theatre through Dec. 12. The Audible Theater production is directed by Amanda Watkins. Running time: 90 minutes. Click here for more information and tickets.
