Review: LUX is a short, charming, original piece of joy @ Dallas Voice

Read review from Dallas Voice by Rich Lopez

Meagan Harris as Sally in the world premiere of 'LUX: a solo show.' (Photos by Zach Huggins)

In Lux: a solo show, actor Meagan Harris takes the stage for just shy of an hour which was a perfect amount of time for this lovely piece. She’s frenetic as Sally deLux who takes the audience on a journey that was unexpected, a bit confounding and ultimately joyous. Using her entire body along with both Spanish and English languages and a bit of audience help, Harris’ original show was a pure delight of originality.

Directed by Carlos García Estévez, Lux: a solo show, premiered last weekend at the Artstillery space in West Dallas. The title character is hard to pin down. Her red nose would say she’s a clown, but her comfy colorful clothing would convey an everyday gal. She’s certainly quirky and gives the audience a glimpse into her daily life from making coffee with brilliant miming and sound effects by Harris to her trouble with answering her phone that veered the show into a darker tone, all as her little friend, a tiny rubber duck, looks on.

Harris was charming and dynamic as Sally, a character who moved almost nonstop throughout the small stage. This performance was a masterclass in physical theatre, blending commedia, clowning, pantomime, and dance. Harris’ unwavering commitment to both the physicality and the essence of Sally’s character was consistently remarkable to watch at every movement and turn.

Armano Monsivas - musician, composer and performer. (Photo by Zach Huggins)

Admittedly, I was unsure of exactly the show’s premise in the beginning. Once I let go of trying hard to connect any narrative dots, the joy of LUX shined brightly. Harris tapped into a fount of comedic energy that was refreshing.

This was helped by Armano Monsivas’ guitar accompaniment (as well as his own sound effects). Harris floated across his lovely and delicate playing that was minimal with huge impact. He also served as the show’s composer and producer.

LUX: a solo show closes Sunday at Artstillery.

–Rich Lopez