Lea Mihevc's, Where Are You From, Girl explores her upbringing in Slovenia and acclimation to American culture through song and story.
Lea enters the stage in a gorgeous, glittering gold gown, one she later reveals was gifted to her by Heidi Klum. She takes a seat at the keyboard and begins to sing "Illusions" by Fredrich Hollaender. This song really sets the stage for Mihevc's performance. She is elegant, alluring and entertaining, performing music and sharing stories. She sings a variety of songs from a wide berth of genres, ranging from Slovenian folk songs to rock legends like Joni Mitchell and Billy Joel to Cabaret by Kander and Ebb. Her voice is versatile, adapting to every shift in genre. In between songs, she speaks directly to the audience. She states that she "seeks to charm, seduce and entertain" the audience. A goal I believe she achieved.
While the show claims to address personal division, I struggled to find this theme in the text of the play. In fact, I struggled to follow a throughline in all the songs and stories shared. I think the script would benefit greatly from an edit that focuses on what the show is trying to say and adjusts all content to point back to this takeaway. I did notice that towards the end, Mihevc kept slipping into Slovenian. This felt like a purposeful choice, perhaps a representation of these two selves melding into one. However, more could have been done to bring this point home and really make the Slovenian introjections feel intentional and meaningful within the plot structure. While Mihevc's stories were entertaining, they didn't connect much, nor did they share many similarities that furthered a plot or thematic progression.
Mihevc spent the majority of the performance sitting behind the keyboard. Towards the end of the show, she leaves her seat to gather some flowers onstage and pass them out to the audience. This moment was a breath of fresh air after the stagnant staging. It felt as if Mihevc was stuck sitting there and I imagined her stories could have been more theatrical and engaging if she could tell them with her full body.
The lighting by Petja Labovič was breathtaking. The way it reflected off Mihevc's dress and shone in the light added to the lighting design. As the lights would slowly dim on Mihevc in moments of dramatic poignancy, I found myself leaning in and further interested in the performance, a sure sign the technical aspects were serving the performance. They created an atmospheric tone that felt reminiscent of a jazzy lounge, which perfectly fit the show's energy.
While this show faltered in the directing and scripting, the performance and technical elements shone. Aside from these theatrical nitpicks, the show is a night of entertaining live music. With further development, this show could be a home run on all accounts.
"Where Are You From, Girl"
Performed by Lea Mihevc
November 7, 2024
United Solo Festival, Theatre Row, NYC
The 17th United Solo Festival
September 24 – November 17, 2024
Theatre Row
410 West 42nd (btw 9th and 10th Avenue)
Carmen! is a trans-multimedia artist specializing in playwriting, acting and crochet. Originally from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, they are currently based in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, returning to their Atlantic Oceanic roots. Their play Taking the Plunge has been performed at the Tank and the Chain off-Broadway and in the 2023 Fresh Fruit Festival slated this June. Carmen has also worked in front-of-house and technical positions for prominent theater organizations including New Dramatists, Portland Playhouse, Emursive and Future Proof. Carmen’s mission is to use play to create meaningful representation by and for underrepresented communities. For more information on Carmen! Follow them on socials @carmenacetosociety or check out www.carmenburbridge.info
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