Writer-performer Maura Halloran plays three characters (plus a cat) to tell the story of Leslie, a lesbian whose relationship falls apart as her homophobic Russian landlady and precious pet look on. Leslie is a Type A goody-goody whose apologetic, insecure personality, combined with her conservative-Christian lifestyle, complicates her sexuality. Making things worse, her out-and-proud girlfriend, Jo, cruelly abandons her for Spain. So begins a plot that, while sprinkled with surprises (Leslie places an ad on Lavalife for a lesbian life coach; she winds up with a butch softball trainer), relies on clichés and predictable plot twists. Among the mostly unlikable characters, the worst offender is Jo, whose posh British accent and unaccountable nastiness render her a bumbling villain and turn her storyline into farce. The play’s highlight is Halloran’s embodiment of the eponymous feline, Pussy. The audience cackles merrily as she crawls around with arch self-importance, valiantly trying to leap onto an easy chair or batting at every object in her path. Too bad the humans in the show aren’t nearly as engaging.—Madeline Raynor
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