Madcap and Joyous: TWO SISTERS FIND A BOX OF LESBIAN EROTICA IN THE WOODS — Review

In the vein of the lesbian theatre makers in the downtown New York tradition that came before them, Bailey Williams and Emma Horwitz have written a delirious and joyful performance piece that mines, among a dizzying array of other things, lesbian erotica to explore everything from the surprisingly titillating dynamics of a library visit to alien abduction. 

Billed as a “burlesque of fiction and reality,” Two Sisters Find a Box of Lesbian Erotica in the Woods, a Rattlestick Theater and New Georges co-production, defies easy summarizing or description. While it’s driven by its own sort of zany dream logic, any attempt to encapsulate what the show is about will ultimately fall short. At the risk of generalizing, it’s about so many things. 

In a series of madcap vignettes and quick sketches, Williams and Horwitz inhabit characters at breakneck speed—at once a babysitter and a yearning lesbian widow, then a set of psychic sisters. It’s clear from their facility with the bonkers text and the ease with which they embody each character that no one could master these performances quite like Williams and Horwitz. As real life partners, they are in tune with each other in rare ways, which creates a space for impeccable comedy.  Throughout the show’s 69 (wink, wink) minutes, their energy levels never flag. With sly, devilish grins, Williams and Horwitz, along with director Tara Elliot, invite the audience to participate in this hilarious and heartfelt fantasia of erotic, queer joy.

Williams and Horwitz are surrounded by cheekily-labeled bankers boxers (examples: “Butch Heiresses”, “Titty Titty Bang Bang”, “Microplastics made me gay?”), which contain an awe-inspiring amount of props and surprises. (Normandy Sherwood is credited with set, costume, and props design). Combined with Josiah Davis’ lighting and Johnny Gasper’s sound design, the result is a never-ending playground of theatrical delight. Two Sisters…’ DIY ethos provides a space for play and the kind of clever, unbridled creativity that has been missing from the more traditional theatrical programming in this city. 

‍Two Sisters Find a Box of Lesbian Erotica in the Woods is at the HERE Arts Center through April 26th. Ticket information here.