Susana Hornos’s solo show, Too Young to Be a Widow, embodies the essence of solo theater. A single actor with minimal staging brings a story to life with her words, face, and movements, portraying all of the characters herself. Dressed in basic black and with only two chairs as a set, Hornos tells of her great romance with her husband, actor Federico Luppi. The relationship is unusual because of their forty-year age difference and the depth of their love and devotion, which Hornos portrays brilliantly.
Hornos first appears on stage as if in handcuffs and swears to “tell the whole truth,” and indeed, she does. The script does not shy away from the most wrenching moments of grief when her husband becomes ill and dies but also includes plenty of humor and levity. Her portrayal of her husband and the conversations with her friend are very funny. She tells her love story “chronologically,” detailing their firsts – the momentous and mundane, the joyful and sad – including the first time she realized she would be a widow soon.
Hornos never overacts, despite the deep grief she portrays, possibly because of the honesty and fullness of the story. She takes the audience through moments of nervous attraction, feverish love, deep adoration, and quiet companionship so that when she reaches the devastating loss, the play, and the story itself, feel complete.
"Too Young to Be a Widow"
Written and Performed by Susana Hornos
Directed by Jo Kelly
November 17, 2022
The 13th United Solo Festival
October 4- November 20, 2022
Theatre Row
410 West 42nd (btw 9th and 10th Avenue)
STEPHANIE EAGAN is a professional writer based in NJ. A fan of every type of live performance imaginable, from taiko drumming to political performance art, she travels the tri-state area and beyond in search of music, art, theater, and excellent coffee.