Souvenir
Review by Ernest Goes To The Theatre/Ernest Edwards
I went to the opening night performance of Souvenir (A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins). The play is written by Stephen Temperley that was first produced Off Broadway during the 2004/2005 theater season.
What a treat this play is.
I had seen the 2016 movie Florence Foster Jenkins, starring Meryl Streep. I kind of knew what to expect from Florence Foster Jenkins herself in this play.
The play was so much fun. The audience was really getting into it.
It’s a two person play that features the real life personas of Cosme McMoon, played by Jake Endres, and Florence Foster Jenkins, played by Cheryl Willis. The play begins at a night club in 1964, and Cosmo is looking back on his time with Florence Foster Jenkins. They first met in 1932, and the play goes through her infamous Carnegie Hall concert in 1944.
The scenery was gorgeously presented for this production. A Piano, a tiled floor, giant urns/flowers, with red curtains. I don’t think the photo I took captured the grandeur the same as what I was seeing with my own eyes. Need to mention the costumes by Rawl Blackett with additional costumes from Sarah Bauer. For the big Carnegie Hall scene, Florence Foster Jenkins wore a different dress for each song that she performed. There were some beautiful costumes in this production.
It’s the performances of Jake Endres and Cheryl Willis that make this show, are award winning. Cheryl and Jake give a tour de force in acting. Their performances in this play are not to be missed.
You have Cosme who is the pianist/accompanist to Florence who thinks she’s a great singer. She is definitely not that. Her friends in society humor her at her annual recitals at the Ritz in New York City. Cosme has the best facial expressions/reactions to Florence’s singing. Florence truly does believe she is a beautiful singer. Cheryl Willis’s ability to sing as Florence is a feat in itself.
The play culminates in her debut at Carnegie Hall. She passed away a month later. The ending of the play was very beautiful.
Back in 1944, her recording from Carnegie Hall was a big seller. It’s still available for purchase today.
This play is definitely something that needs to be experienced in person. Check out gremlintheatre.org for tickets. Play runs through November 30, 2025.
