Intimate Apparel: An Intricate Display of Love, Hope, and Despair

In a time of declining media literacy, Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage is a welcome break from plays, musicals, and movies where everything is presented to the audience on a silver platter and explained in perfect detail. I personally believe the title refers to not only the occupation of the main character but also to the intimacy of every relationship in this show, which are complex and interwoven with one another.

Intimate Apparel is set in 1905 and follows a woman named Esther, played by Chioma Anyanwu, who works as a seamstress making intimate apparel for women. It showcases her relationships with everyone in her life and how they evolve and change drastically through the two-hour play. 

The set of this show is absolutely stunning. Designed by Ta’ja Snipes, every room Esther visits is distinctly different from the last, in the way they are decorated, laid out, and cared for. However, they are all clearly part of one single entity - the show itself.

The incredible cast of Intimate Apparel is remarkably small, and consists of only six actors, all of whom gave wonderful performances. Anyanwu, the lead, truly embodies the role of Esther, and her dedication to the play shows itself through the grace and poise she brings to the character.  While every actor in the cast is extremely talented, Teonna Wesley, who plays Mayme, especially stood out to me. She shines onstage, and her performance made Mayme perhaps the most captivating character in the show to me. Wesley embodies the lively and spirited side of Mayme just as well as the more subdued side, which shows itself more in the second act.

The story is truly compelling, and all the actors practically flow through the scenes, delivering lines back and forth with the utmost proficiency. The script is amazing, and the direction of Teresa Monique Leggard enhances it and truly brings the words to life. As I said previously, the show is not something to tune out of and expect to understand. Every character has their own depths and arcs throughout the two acts, and the somewhat open-ended finale allows speculation about the fates of several of the characters.

Without spoilers, Intimate Apparel is a whirlwind of emotion and humor, and a beautiful showing of the intricacies of friendships, romance, and everything in between. I highly recommend you see this exceptional show by Kansas City Actors Theatre at City Stage in Union Station now through August 23rd.