As an avid theatergoer, “Suffs” has been one of my most anticipated shows for a while now, and I recently got the opportunity to see it. In the wake of the election, I was hesitant to go see a show with such a current and poignant message, but it ended up hitting perfectly, with a mix of devastation and hope echoing from both the cast and audience. The Tony Award-winning musical depicts the decades-long suffragist movement that led to the passing of the 19th Amendment in 1920, as well as all of the women who participated in the movement and saw it through. It specifically follows Alice Paul, Ruza Wenclawska, Lucy Burns, Inez Milholland and Doris Stevens as they fight for the change they want to see and the sacrifices they make to improve their status in society.
The show begins with a song sung by Jenn Colella’s character, Carrie Chapman Catt, advocating to “let mother vote,” which instantly transports the viewer into the society. Soon after, the National American Woman Suffrage Association leader meets Alice Paul, who challenges all of her preconceived notions of how the movement should be done. Carrie believes in advocating peacefully, but Alice believes that the only way to change the world is to speak out, and decides to hold a march against the way the government is addressing suffrage. She then enlists Lucy, Ruza and Inez to help with the job, and the group begins their fight. The format of the show works in a similar fashion to “Hamilton,” narrating a historical story with understandable characters and modern songs, in order to communicate the continuation of historical themes in the modern day, and the impact that the lesser thought-about figures in history have on modern society.
Shaina Taub is both the writer of the show and the star, performing eight times a week as Alice, the protagonist. The writing of the show works really well by sticking with historical ideas whilst wording things in a more understandable way for a wide audience, young and old. The historical events depicted are simplified without losing their meaning, and the characters are depicted in a way that allows them more depth than basic cartoons, like many musical theater characters tend to be. The character of Inez is fierce, strong and feisty, and contrasts the more subdued nature of Alice. Lucy provides a level-headed side to Alice’s ambition, and Ruza adds comedic relief. The actors deliver the lines with a perfect mix of power and emotion, whilst also keeping it light at times.
Something that made the show so excellent was the striking power and message that it conveyed. There was a sense of unity amongst audience members that connected everyone, young and old, regardless of differences. The cast and audience also felt so connected because of the message of the show, and it somehow broke the fourth wall without doing anything at all. I could not think of a better or more prevalent show to see, especially this month.
The set of the show was simple but it worked perfectly to highlight the performers, whilst complementing their performances by providing visuals to match the story without distracting them. They were basic, but had a lot of variation from scene to scene, and a lot of the elements were very powerful within the story. The lighting design was also excellent, and I loved how they utilized shadow in the marches to highlight the masses that arrived rather than show specific figures. The sound design was also excellent, and even from the back of the orchestra, their voices echoed perfectly, especially during the finale, a song called “Keep Marching,” when all of the instruments dropped out so that it was just their voices. The design of the sound, especially at this moment, was amazing.
The score of the show was memorable, and I still find myself singing tunes from the show days later. The repetitive nature of it worked very well with the storyline because it tied together lots of different women and times. Songs like “The Young Are at the Gates” and “Great American Bitch” were standouts that helped to elevate the story to another level. Songs like “I Was Here” and “Show Them Who You Are” have messages that resonate with people beyond the show’s context as well. There are very few musicals that have the power to resonate with everyone in a room, and I don’t think I’ve been in a theater with as many people emotional over a show as this one.
“Suffs” is a show that I would highly recommend seeing, as I believe it is a show that everyone can relate to and connect with, considering today’s political climate, regardless of political affiliation. Standout performers like Hannah Cruz (Inez), Jenn Colella (Carrie) and Shaina Taub (Alice) create a story that is memorable, striking and timeless. There was something so powerful about seeing a cast entirely made up of women perform on Broadway in a show as influential as this one, and it is something everyone should experience before they close on Jan. 5.
