Written by orange• March 3, 2025• 6:14 pm• Theater, UCI, Uncategorized

Claire Trevor School of the Arts presents : Quit Bitchin @ UCI – Review

Photo credit: Siyin Yan Instagram itssiyin_y

Written by Alina Mae Wilson

I attended UC Irvine’s production of Quit Bitchin’, an original work by Anna Marjorie Fitzgerald that explores the timeless struggles of womanhood. The script is ambitious and offers opportunities for deep character exploration, but the story sometimes felt repetitive and overwrought.

The narrative follows a group of women in a small town, each facing unique but familiar challenges: a mother overwhelmed by child-rearing, a young sculptor questioning her readiness for marriage, and an overworked employee struggling to stay afloat. Though primarily a straight play, moments of inner turmoil are punctuated by abrupt lighting shifts and interpretive movement sequences, in which the women gesticulate wildly, gasping out declarations of their suffering or harmonizing in unison. While visually striking, these moments sometimes blurred the line between poignancy and excess.

Story

I did mention that this play explores the timelessness of women’s struggles. While the setting appears to be modern-day, the moments of expressive movement—where the women sing, gesture, or shout their pain—suggest that these struggles are not confined to the present. The use of drums, harmonized voices, and interpretive dancing creates an almost ritualistic effect, reinforcing the idea that these trials have existed in the past and will likely continue.

It wasn’t until I checked the program later that I realized the characters’ names had historical significance. “Tig” (played by Lourdes Castillo) was actually “Antigone.” “Maddie” (Zoe Nauman) was “Medea.” “Jules” (Jiayi Zhao) was “Jael.”

Unfortunately, these connections weren’t clear enough in the play itself. If I hadn’t seen them spelled out in the program, I wouldn’t have realized that Jules was meant to represent Jael. The overworked and exhausted Maddie feels so different from the infamous Medea that their connection seems like a significant stretch, almost as if it was fabricated after the fact. Maybe that’s part of the appeal for some? I can appreciate stories that make you think, but the historical allusions here felt underdeveloped.

That said, plenty of thought went into the production. The characters were well-developed, and the script had moments of much-needed humor. The comedic moments felt natural and lighthearted, offering brief relief from the play’s weighty themes.

Entertainment

As previously mentioned, the rare comedic moments were well-executed. The story itself was engaging, but it would have been more effective with some tightening. Certain scenes felt drawn out, lingering well past the point where the conflict or emotional weight had already been established.

Acting

The acting in Quit Bitchin’ was undeniably strong. The entire cast delivered solid performances. Zoe Nauman (Medea/Maddie) effectively conveyed desperation, frustration, and moments of revulsion at all the right times. Meanwhile, Julian Tushabe (Man #1-6) showcased his versatility, seamlessly shifting between six distinct characters. He had numerous opportunities to display his range and delivered every…single…time.

Set and Costumes

The set design was well thought out, presenting a clear and immersive world for the audience. A liquor store on the left, a church in the center, and a laundromat on the right provided a distinct and realistic setting for the story to unfold. The costumes were equally effective, particularly those worn by Julian Tushabe, who had the challenge (and likely the joy) of playing six different roles.

Final Thoughts

As a full-length production, it risked becoming repetitive and exhausting. However, individual scenes provided compelling material that could be valuable.