'Call Me Izzy' Broadway review — Jean Smart is masterful in powerful solo play
Read our review of Call Me Izzy on Broadway, a world-premiere play written by Jamie Wax, directed by Sarna Lapine, and starring Jean Smart at Studio 54.
One of the first things we learn about the title character of Call Me Izzy is that, no matter how much she asks, almost no one in her life actually calls her Izzy. The other is that her husband Ferd hates her writing. Not only won't he read it, not only does she have to hide the fact that she does it — Izzy’s husband hates her writing so much that the only way she can write is to lock herself in the bathroom when he’s sleeping. An eyebrow pencil is her pen, a roll of toilet paper her notebook.
And yet Izzy is not bitter or raging or small. She is a force to be reckoned with. Fresh off the success of the fourth season of Hacks, Jean Smart is vibrant, tough, and matter-of-factly, darkly funny as Izzy in a way that has the audience alternating laughs and gasps of horror in seconds. The character and the story feel as lived-in for Smart as Izzy’s worn blue bathrobe. Anyone who came to this play for love of Deborah Vance will forget she exists, at least for 85 minutes, under the power of Smart’s performance.
The subject matter of Call Me Izzy is inherently dark, but under the direction of Sarna Lapine (2017's Sunday in the Park with George on Broadway), there is an undeniable air of hope. Despite the smallness her husband imposes on her, Izzy moves through spaces confidently. She walks us through her life verbally and physically as the set transitions from Izzy’s bathroom to her kitchen to the shared outdoor space of her Louisiana trailer park.
The show’s Southern setting is a nod to writer Jamie Wax’s own family, but Wax makes it clear that domestic violence is not unique to rural areas. In one of the more chilling scenes of the show, Izzy realizes her would-be saviors — an older, wealthy Jewish couple from New York who appreciate her writing and have offered her a residency up north — have a nearly identical dynamic to Izzy and Ferd.
Wax’s writing, and Izzy herself, is an ode to the women whose voices are not given their due. Izzy is a consummate entertainer and a prolific poet, and she'd make anyone with writer’s block weep. But more than that, her story is instantly relatable in some way to any given audience member. Some of the scene transitions confused my audience, leading to premature applause. But Smart’s control of the story smoothed over our embarrassment and reeled us right back in.
Call Me Izzy summary
Izzy is a bright, loving, and exceedingly creative writer who finds herself stifled by the insecurity of her abusive husband. Despite his anger, she seeks inspiration for her writing with a ravenous hunger, though she often pays the price for it. Her writing may offer her a path to a better life if she can figure out how to take it.
Louisiana native Jamie Wax has been working on the one-woman show Call Me Izzy for decades, originally inspired by his brilliant aunt who was trapped in a restrictive marriage. Over the years, after interviewing and hearing the testimonies of domestic violence survivors, he added elements of their stories to the narrative.
What to expect at Call Me Izzy
If Wax wrote Call Me Izzy to shine a light on women like his aunt, Jean Smart could not be a better interpreter of Izzy. Smart’s loving approach to the character bolsters her brilliance and resilience, and she also brings to life other people in Izzy’s life — her husband, her neighbor, her teachers, and her mother — through her lens.
The focus of Izzy’s narrative keeps our attention on her tiny world, which usually does not extend beyond the trailer she shares with her husband. But she speaks longingly, conflictingly, of the forest of trees that border the trailer park. These trees make up the background of Izzy’s story and of the stage (scenic design by Mikiko and Suzuki MacAdams). They’re symbolic of the barriers trapping Izzy in her life, and yet the projection of trees is also hopeful, placing Izzy at the threshold of what could be waiting for her.
What audiences are saying about Call Me Izzy
At the time of publication, Call Me Izzy has an 84% audience approval rating on Show-Score with largely positive reviews. Most commenters applauded Smart for her performance, and many also praised the poetry — literally and figuratively — of Wax’s script.
- “We were rooting and praying for Izzy! Total surprise to see amazing fabulous Jean Smart in a role so opposite from glamorous star of Hacks” -Susan M
- “The entire team deserves kudos for this production - including lighting and sound that create an amazing immersive environment.” -Show-Score user BrdwyBear
- “Jean Smart unlike many one person shows does not try to play multiple characters. This is Izzy’s story to tell. INtense. Funny. Eye opening. MUST SEE!” -Show-Score user JoeyFranko
Read more audience reviews of Call Me Izzy on Show-Score.
Who should see Call Me Izzy
- Fans of Jean Smart will want to see her give her all to Call Me Izzy at Studio 54. Hacks fans will find no Deborah Vance here, but they will surely walk away in even more awe of Smart and her power to make you fall in love with her characters.
- As far as one-person shows go, Call Me Izzy is at the pinnacle, and audiences who love this type of show, with plenty of character impressions and internal growth, will enjoy this one.
- Theatregoers looking for a play with a relevant, powerful story will find a personal narrative that, sadly, is a universal one, while simultaneously illuminating a life far removed from New York.
Learn more about Call Me Izzy on Broadway
Jean Smart is a force to be reckoned with in this sweet, funny, painful, intensely sad one-woman show, and Jamie Wax’s script will stay with you long after the curtains close.
Photo credit: Jean Smart in Call Me Izzy on Broadway. (Photos by Marc J. Franklin and Emilio Madrid)
Originally published on