'My First Ex-Husband' review — Joy Behar and more tell tales of divorce
Read our review of My First Ex-Husband off Broadway, a new play written by The View's Joy Behar and starring a rotating cast of stage and screen stars.
Four seats, two pot plants, and one lectern. Are we at a funeral? A wedding? No! It’s a divorce party — or something like that — and the host is none other than The View's Joy Behar. She, Susie Essman, Tovah Feldshuh, and Adrienne C. Moore all walk on stage with a coy wave and leave us with resounding F-bombs and stories of singledom discussed with gusto. This is My First Ex-Husband, an adaptation of true stories by Behar, now playing at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center.
Stepping up to the stand in an orderly succession, the four women, one by one, face the audience and — with half an eye on their open scripts — deliver punchy vignettes of marriage, divorce, and what it means to relinquish the title of "wife."
The show caters specifically to New York women, who at my performance erupted in bursts of laughter and camaraderie throughout, especially when Emmy and Tony nominee Feldshuh (who in one of her monologues is an Orthodox Jew) delivers a succession of self-deprecating remarks surrounding her sex life (or lack thereof) while married to her socially awkward yet dashingly handsome spouse. My First Ex-Husband is a tonic for broken hearts and love-struck audience members alike, healing romantic wounds and working through the complications of love, life, and friendship with laughter.
My First Ex-Husband summary
The world premiere of My First Ex-Husband is created by Joy Behar and directed by Randal Myler. The show is divided into eight monologues of varying lengths, all based on interviews with real-life divorcées. The beginning of each monologue is indicated when a new title card appears on the projector above the lectern.
Kicking off the show, Essman takes to the stage, and the words "Walla Walla Bang Bang" are projected above her while she brings to life the tale of Jessica, a woman who loves nice things and yet is subjected to her husband's hunter-gatherer tendencies. The actors cycle through two monologues each before taking a bow and exiting in the same manner in which they entered the stage.
Behar, Essman, Feldshuh, and Moore perform through February 23. A new cast — Judy Gold, Susan Lucci, Cathy Moriarty, and Tonya Pinkins — takes over from February 26 to March 23. A third lineup — Jackie Hoffman, Gina Gershon, Andrea Navedo, and Veanne Cox — appears from March 26 to April 20.
What to expect at My First Ex-Husband
My First Ex-Husband is 90 minutes with no intermission. The eight-part narrative structure marries the best bits of stand-up comedy with the satisfaction of a well-tailored monologue. Although the predictability of the piece leaves little room for suspense, my audience took well to the rhythm of the play, almost relaxing into the prescribed format. The intimate theatre space and simple set design contribute to the accessible and uncomplicated nature of the piece.
One of the most unique and thrilling components of this show undoubtedly happens off stage, at least at my performance: the almost constant state of laughter among the audience from start to finish.
What audiences are saying about My First Ex-Husband
As of publication, My First Ex-Husband received a 90% audience approval rating on the site Show-Score, compiled from 6 reviews.
- "'My First Ex-Husband' is Joy-ous, hilarious and moving! Joy Behar's writing is biting and touching as she, Susie Essman, Adrienne C. Moore and Tovah Feldshuh bring to live 8 memorable characters and their unique stories. Make time to see 'My First Ex-Husband' or I will leave you!” - Show-Score user Joe 5047
- “Great show!! Funny, heart warming, and really hit home. All four women in the show were terrific! And the venue was intimate, not a bad seat in the house." - Show Score user Funzo
- "Funny hear [sic] and there but not memorable." - Show-Score user Susie Schein
- “A series of true stories told by a rotating cast of interesting and famous women. Funny, poignant and entertaining." - Show-Score user Mark 4217
Read more audience reviews of My First Ex-Husband on Show-Score.
Who should see My First Ex-Husband
- If you’re a fan of Curb Your Enthusiasm, then you will be delighted to see Susie Essman (who played Susie Green in the show) grace the stage in this piece of theatre.
- For those who are new to the theatre and are looking for an accessible, pleasing show, this one is for you.
- Check out My First Ex-Husband if you want to see a show that deals exclusively with love, marriage, divorce, and the intricacies of relationships.
- The show is for those who want to see an uplifting and lighthearted piece of theatre that speaks to womanhood and what it means to exist in a traditional marriage.
- If you enjoy stand-up comedy, this one is for you, especially if you enjoy shows that combine stand-up with theatre.
Learn more about My First Ex-Husband off Broadway
My First Ex-Husband is a spirited series of vignettes on divorce that fires a relentless yet well-aimed barrage of jokes to a willing audience of theatregoers.
Photo credit: My First Ex-Husband off Broadway. (Photos by Joan Marcus)
Originally published on