Veteran actresses Ellen McLaughlin (“King Lear”) and Kathleen Chalfant (“The Affair”) star in the Off-Broadway play “Pen Pals,” which is being performed at the DR2 Theatre in New York City. McLaughlin and Chalfant will be in these roles until October 12th.
“Pen Pals” was written by Michael Griffo and directed by SuzAnne Barabas. It features a rotating cast of actresses, and it celebrates the power of friendship through handwritten letters that were exchanged over five decades.
It was inspired by a true story and it invites audiences into the lives of Bernie (Ellen McLaughlin) and Mags (Kathleen Chalfant) — two women whose bond, forged in adolescence, endures for 50 years despite never meeting in person or even talking on the phone.
In this Off-Broadway production, Bernie and Mags live in two different places (Sheffield, England, and Newark, New Jersey), and while they haven’t met in person, they are best friends through their intimate and honest letters to one another.
Ever since their teenage years, they’ve shared every part of their lives together, which include their innermost secrets (first crushes, relationships, family, offspring, relatives, classmates, and the drama that came in their personal lives, and even medical scares).
“This play shows that even distances can never get in the way of best friends, and to never give up on the hope of meeting that best friend in person,” Chrissy Antosca, fan and attendee, said.
The Verdict
Overall, Ellen McLaughlin is transcendent as Bernie in “Pen Pals”… she is feisty, sentimental, witty, and she nails the Newark accent to the tee. Out of every single actress that has played Bernie in the past, McLaughlin gives one of the most authentic performances.
Kathleen Chalfant is equally exceptional and giving in the role of Mags… in several instances (especially the emotional moments), it feels like watching “The Year of Magical Thinking” show on Broadway all over again (based on the memoir by Joan Didion) and Chalfant is our Vanessa Redgrave.
Whoever has yet to see McLaughlin and Chalfant in “Pen Pals” is truly missing out. Their interpretations of Bernie and Mags earn two giant thumbs up. Well done.
To learn more about the Off-Broadway play “Pen Pals,” check out the official homepage.
