Jennifer Childs is at it again. This time, she is cleaning out her closet. In a solo comedy, she shares with us her thoughts that are triggered by the many outfits she sees. But it is far more than memories. In 90 minutes, while changing clothes about two dozen times, she gives us a brief, yet powerful story of the women in comedy who inspired her. She also gives us an intimate look at her life and her feelings that we can all relate to in her play, “She Gets Around,” which she wrote and stars in.
Childs takes us through her school days as she relates what was going on at the time. Wearing first, her girl scout uniform, she reminds of the Watergate scandal, where the President of the United States lied to the people and was forced to resign. And then, a moment later, she confesses that her idol was Doris Day, the “perfect woman.” Then again, there was Vivian Leigh, who she also loved as Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone with the Wind.” It made her want to be a bad girl. But my telling you about it doesn’t come close to hearing Childs explain it.
She learned much about life from the Good Housekeeping magazine. She learned about sex at a very early age from her mother, but in a most clinical way. It is so exciting to travel with her as she tries different clothes on and different approaches to life until she realizes that she wanted to be a funny girl.
But on the way there, she toyed with writing poetry and with singing hip hop while she supported herself by working as a waitress and bartender. So much story so brilliantly told. And she keeps us laughing along the way.
At one point, she shows eight outfits that represent some of her favorite comedians- Gracie Allen, Totie Fields, Sophie Tucker, Joan Rivers, and Mae West among them. They were all bawdy and brave! She then fires off a joke from each of them. Her favorite though was Phyllis Diller, who taught her the most!
She actually met Diller who suggested she partner with Childs’ friend, another woman, to form a female comic duo. There were only pairs of men or of a man and a woman doing standup comedy.
She spends some time during the performance talking about the harassment of women in all walks of life. It is poignant and it is real.
I can go on and on but nothing I would say would come close to the incredible presentation that Jennifer Childs has written and is performing at 1812 Productions, where she is the Producing Artistic Director. We feel her strength and we understand her vulnerability. We are very lucky to have such an extraordinary woman here in Philadelphia.
The only criticism I have about the show was that it ended after an hour and a half. I wanted more.
“She Gets Around” by Jennifer Childs at 1812 Productions, at Players and Players Theater, 1714 Delancey St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, 215-592-9560, info@1812 productions.org Thru May 17, 2026
Philadelphia Theater Reviews by Frank Burd 