Souvenir at the Cook Theater is an incredibly funny and sweet story of an unlikely friendship and the power of confidence.
It is based on a true story of a soprano Florence Foster Jenkins. Well to call her a soprano is kind of a stretch. A wealthy socialite, she gave a series of charity concerts in the 1930s and 40s despite the fact she couldn’t sing.
Lori Ecker – plays the confident, but tone deaf Florence with an over the top flare that reminds me of Carol Burnett at her campy best. John Phillips as her accompanist Cosmo, has wonderful timing and silent comic expressions that say so much with the roll of an eye. Together they had me laughing throughout the performance and crying just a little at the end.
The set, costumes and dialogue combine to make it a more polished performance then a typical Fringe show. That is because Souvenir is not a new play. This is a shortened version of one that was written by Stephen Temperley and performed on Broadway. This was definitely the perfect topping for a terrific weekend at the Fringe Festival.
It is only a short 10 minute walk from Mass Ave, and certainly worth the trek to the Cook Theater.