Written and performed by Lisa Robins, COMMITTED was chosen to perform at the While Megillah New Play Festival at the San Diego Repertory Theatre, when workshopped at the Soapbox Gallery in Brooklyn and the Actors Studio in Los Angeles. Robins is a member of The Actors Studio, Rogue Machine, and is an Artist in Residence at The Braid. For over two decades, Robins slowly worked and reworked COMMITTED. In 2024, Rogue Machine is proud to present the finished product.
Lisa Robins – Photo by Todd Felderstein
Why so much time and effort to put together COMMITTED? To quote Robins, “On the eve of his 27th birthday, my brother jumped off a bridge. Ever since then, I’ve been committed to creating something for Robbie…about Robbie…about surviving Robbie. I’ve debated countless different ways to tell the tale. Who wants to talk about death? (I’d rather party!)…but I made a commitment. Why did the boy jump off the bridge? Why live? What’s my purposed? I created a Ritual for Robbie. But couldn’t finish the damn thing, until now.”
Lisa Robins – Photo by Todd Felderstein
And the final result of Robins’ long journey? COMMITTED is well worth the wait. Brilliantly performed by Robins – and compassionately and carefully helmed by director Mitch Levine – COMMITTED tells the story of Robbie’s suicide through the eyes of his loving and devastated sister. With humor as a shield and community as her anchor, Robins uses raw honesty and biting wit to share this Ritual for Robbie. She goes through a gamut of emotions over his death looking for causes, signs, ways to have changed Robbie’s end. She feels overwhelming love, shattering grief, and demoralizing guilt over his suicide. Did she miss important cues? Was she too involved in her own life to pay attention to his? Could she have changed the outcome of Robbie’s decision? Is she to blame for what happened?
Lisa Robins – Photo by Todd Felderstein
Robins does an excellent job of delineating the stages of grief following her brother’s suicide. The audience is intrigued and gripped by this unusual exploration of death. At the same time, the show never devolves into a gloomy paean to a young man’s death but instead becomes a tribute to the close relationship with the two shared in life. As such, humor fits well into the story and lends a bittersweet tang which proves both entertaining and insightful. Li8sa Robins is definitely a WOW (Wise Old Woman)!
Lisa Robins COMMITTED Poster – Photo by Todd Felderstein
After each performance, a talkback is scheduled. On 10/23/24 (the date of this review), the talkback was hosted by Colin Campbell, who wrote and performed the play “Grief, a One Man Shitshow” after losing his two teenagers to a drunk driver. Campbell fielded questions for Robins and Levine as the involved members of the audience asked about the play. It was a heartwarming experience. Upcoming talkbacks will be hosted by Arlene Sarner (wrote “Peggy Sue Got Married”) whose son committed suicide (10/26/24); Rabbi Naomi Levy (who wrote “To Begin Again”) who lost her father to murder (10/27/24); and an All Saints Day program – when the veil between the living and the dead is the most fragile (11/1/24). On 11/3/24, there will be an audience talkback surprise. COMMITTED is definitely worth a visit, whether or not you have lost anyone to suicide. It is artistic, authentic, and real. It also happens to be very entertaining.
Colin Campbell, Lisa Robins, and Mitch Levine during Talkback after show – Photo by Elaine L. Mura
COMMITTED runs through November 3, 2024, with performances at 2 p.m. on Saturday 10/26, at 7 p.m. on Sunday 10/27, at 8 p.m. on Friday 11/1, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday 11/3. The Rogue Machine performs at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046. Talk-backs follow each performance. Tickets are $45 (students $25; seniors $35; Show4Less $15+). For information and reservations, call 855-585-5185 or go online.
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