When we first meet Angela, she says she’s taking shelter from an oncoming tornado. But as she admits, she’s not a reliable narrator. As a storm rages just outside, Angela reflects on her career as an insurance agent, her love of statistics, and her mother. But from the beginning, it’s clear that something isn’t quite right. Eventually, Angela admits there is no storm, revealing that the tornado is a metaphor for something far worse. Lauren Gunderson is known for devastating twist endings, and this one-woman play is no exception. What starts as a comedic one-act becomes a raw, heart-racing snapshot of domestic violence. Framed around Hamlet’s “to be or not to be” soliloquy, Natural Shocks offers a star vehicle for an actress who can embody Angela’s charm and raw vulnerability as she faces her own existential crossroad.
Natural Shocks guide sections
