Booked & Scene

A Reading with a Wild Premise and Potential
2 ½ Lesbians, written by Eunwoo Rose Bae and directed by Lavanya Sinha, is currently in the staged reading phase, with performances in Cambridge on July 5 and Brooklyn on July 9. This clever and chaotic original play centers on sapphic best friends Diane and Sky, who find themselves in the Underworld and at the mercy of Persephone herself. To escape, they’re enlisted to “fix” a rebooted reality show featuring Penelope, Queen of Ithaca, and her messy platonic situationship with Antheia. As this was a reading, it’s worth noting that many aspects may shift in future full productions, but here’s what stood out (and what could use a closer look).

Standouts from the Underworld
Milo Hughson stood out as Persephone, never dropping character and bringing a perfect mix of exasperation and disdain to the goddess role. Their facial expressions and tone elevated every scene they were in—especially when mocking mortals. My favorite line of the entire show came from them: “Ever since I learned the impacts smiting has on the environment, I’ve limited them to once a year.” Delivered with just the right amount of dry bite, it killed.

Another highlight was a grounded scene between Diane (Hema Patel) and Joe (played by Oliver Wessels). His accent work was strong, and he delivered that moment with a gentleness that stood out in contrast to the chaos of the rest of the show.

Wit and Wordplay Worthy of the Gods
Playwright Eunwoo Rose Bae has a serious knack of one-liners. Several had me audibly laughing, especially these gems:

• “The Real Mortals of Ithaca – The Prophecy: The Series”
• “You’re not in hell, you’re in a particularly pleasant kind of purgatory.”
• “If you only look at men through one eye, maybe you only see half the red flags.”

The mock commercials, especially the 1-800-OLIVE SUCKER and the riff on not paying for ad-free streaming, were another fun touch that gave the show its distinct voice.

Things that Got Lost in the Fog of Purgatory
Let me preface this by saying again: this was a staged reading. I know some of these things may not be issues in a full production, but they did affect the experience of this version.

The biggest problem was the space. Because the reading took place in a café with no elevation, it was nearly impossible to see half the show depending on where you were sitting. A lot of the staging involved actors sitting, kneeling, or lying down on the ground, which meant large chunks were completely obscured. Even in a reading, I’d have loved to see the cast remain standing or seated in chairs just for the sake of visibility.

Second, projection was a big hurdle. Aside from a few voices—Diane, Persephone, the narrator, and Joe/Odysseus/Spencer—it was difficult to hear the rest of the cast. That made it tough to follow some scenes fully, especially when conversations weren’t balanced in volume.

There was also a tension between trying to “perform” the reading versus actually reading it. Some performers put their scripts down but then lost lines or stumbled. It’s totally okay to just hold the script: it’s a reading! The audience gets it.

And finally, this script is long. There’s a lot happening, and while the absurdity is part of the charm, it could use a healthy trim and a more streamlined structure. There were scenes that could easily be cut or rearranged to make the pace stronger and the story clearer.

A Concept Worth Coming Back For
2 ½ Lesbians has an intriguing premise, some truly funny moments, and a clear voice. The tagline of a “Percy Jackson-esque descent into chaos” nails the vibe perfectly. While this isn’t necessarily the kind of show I gravitate toward, I still found myself laughing and quoting lines afterward.

If you’re someone who gravitates toward queer theater, sapphic dynamics, and mythological twists, this might be one to keep an eye on. With some refining and restructuring, I could absolutely see this turning into a smart, satirical, and satisfying production. For ticket’s to Saturday’s July 5 Cambridge performance click here and for the July 9 Brooklyn’s performance click here.