Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous, playing now through July 12th at the Geffen Playhouse, takes on the work of acclaimed playwright August Wilson as a means of making a feminist statement. Pearl Cleage, an accomplished playwright in her own right, creates a showcase for four distinctive actresses and makes the argument that it’s time for women to flip the script and take on the meatier male monologues in August Wilson’s plays.
While there is much to laud about this play, including fine performances, a beautiful set and costumes, and some peripheral nods to All About Eve and A Streetcar Named Desire, my underlying complaint is that the premise presupposes a familiarity with the work of August Wilson and suggests that female nudity is somehow an act of empowerment. But if you’re able to get past this, the play lives up to its title and offers an entertaining showcase for four talented actresses with a timeworn and relevant theme of female empowerment.
As the play opens, we meet Anna Campbell, a now fading opera star who is not ready to relinquish her tiara, and her longtime/long-suffering friend and manager Betty Samson, who are holed up in a $1400 a night luxury suite at a very upscale hotel bemoaning their financial woes. Anna explains how she got suckered into a Ponzi scheme by her ex which she thought would be a good investment. It’s Betty who convinced Anna to move back to the States after a decades long sojourn to Amsterdam where Anna enjoyed a prolific career on stage playing the great female roles.
It soon becomes clear that Anna’s imperious attitude and predilection for alcohol made matters worse as she aged out of the leading roles. The final straw came when she was passed over for the role of Medea and relegated to the maid. The plan (and the conceit of the play) is for Anna to stage a comeback and reclaim her former glory. The hotel suite is being generously underwritten by Kate Hughes, a producer who is going to stage a performance that Anna starred in decades ago as a young woman performing in the nude the monologues of the male characters of August Wilson.
But as we learn, there’s a catch — a misunderstanding which will have major repercussions that ripple through the rest of the play. While Anna is (off-stage) getting a spa treatment, Kate shows up to discuss the upcoming performance. Betty explains that Anna is under the mistaken impression that she is to reprise her role in Naked Wilson.
The truth is that Kate has invited Anna to attend the restaging of Naked Wilson in more of an honorary capacity and receive a lifetime achievement award while another (younger) actress takes over the performance she made famous. This twist winds up putting an All About Eve spin on the remainder of the play.
In case you’re wondering how this “misunderstanding” occurred, Betty explains that she broke her leg and was sidelined when this contract came through and Anna must have glossed over the specifics of the contract which explained this important detail. Kate has already hired another woman to take on the role. To add insult to injury, the woman she hired has no real acting experience and she is actually a “burlesque” performer. In truth, she’s not just a dancer, she’s an “adult film” star, though, as Kate points out, the “star” part is debatable.
From here, the story revolves around breaking the news to Anna that she’s been replaced by a much younger, less experienced adult film star named “Pete” (aka Precious Watson) and watching the sparks fly.
It’s an entertaining ride as we watch these four distinct personalities (and actresses) clash and rail over how to resolve this unspooling dilemma as opening night approaches. Denise Burse wears the mantle of an aging but imperious diva who’s not ready to pass the baton with exceptional flair.
Over the course of the play, Anna has several wardrobe changes which sell the image of a woman who knows how to rock a fabulous frock effortlessly. Charlayne Woodard plays the long-suffering friend/manager Betty equally well, offering the contrast that has kept these two together through the decades, through thick and thin, while showing the cracks beneath the surface of their friendship. Debroah Joy Winans plays the more business-like role of producer Kate and she does a commendable job doing so.
But perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening is watching Olivia Washington unveil the many layers of Pete (aka Precious) and evolve before our eyes. She begins as the somewhat timid young woman who is clearly unprepared to take on the role that Anna made famous. But it’s somewhat thrilling to watch this neophyte go toe-to-toe with a seasoned veteran like Anna and prove that this “adult film star” knows a thing or two about standing up for herself and female empowerment.
Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous. June 10–July 12, 2026. Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse. 10886 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024. Tickets.