In 1963 Catskills, Baby (Jennifer Grey) famously flew into the arms of of her crush, Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) in the classic film Dirty Dancing. In 2021, Sarina Freda had her own flying experience with a crush in the Catskills, but the result was less cinematic and ultimately, more therapeutic.
Freda, along with director Tom Costello, has written a trippy solo show entitled no no no please no god no, nevermind i’m fine, chronicling an LSD trip Freda took with 4 of her female friends and a male friend with whom she had a “crazy connection” and a “kind of can’t think of anyone else” attraction. Freda stars in the solo piece. The work premiered in 2024 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and is currently wrapping a residency at Manhattan’s HERE Arts Center through Saturday.
Freda randomly frames her 1-hour piece as an interview with Gwyneth Paltrow. We’re never sure why, but it’s one of the many unanswered questions we’re left with in this monologue. Yet the ambiguity only adds to Freda’s delightful quirkiness and charm.
She prefaces the story of her first LSD trip with vulnerability, describing her fears, the uncertainty of who she is, and existential questions about her place in the world. By the end, she seems to have found inner resolve.
Once the acid kicks in, all hell breaks loose. Thanks largely to Lee Lillis’ excellent lighting and Nicholas Webster’s sharp sound design, we’re quickly transported to Freda’s altered state of mind where lines are blurred and frenzy reigns.
Freda is a compelling and wholly engaging, physical performer who knows how to capture an audience. Many of her seemingly throw away lines and side comments are some of the funniest in the show. At times, one feels that a bit more explanation would increase clarity and tighten the piece even further. Still, through her life altering experience, Freda proves to herself and to her audience that “nobody puts baby in a corner”—in the Catskills or anywhere else.
no no no please no god no nevermind i’m fine runs through Saturday March 15 at HERE (145 6th Avenue, NYC). For tickets and information, visit www.here.org