Those Who Remained
Written & Performed by Sophia Guthinov; Directed by Rani O’Brien
The Club at La MaMa | 74A E 4th St, New York, NY 10003
May 8th - 18th
Photos by Sophia Gutchinov
As summer comes, when the beaches empty out at night, you’ll see the folks with metal detectors come out and scan the beach. I always wondered what could drive them to such a lonely persuit night after night. The same can be said of an artist who lock themselves away in their studio to create. There’s no guarantee what either will find. Sophia Guthinov has “it”. She truly has that star quality that makes you want to watch her. She is a dynamic, confident performer. Her opening night at The Club at La MaMa played to a full house rapt with attention.
Two screens allowed for a makeshift theatre-in-the-round with a center table where Sohpia’s grandmother serves her tea. On screen, Sophia’s TikToks on relationships flash larger than life as she relates a boyfriend story, jumping between herself and her grandmother and the boyfriend. Stories of her Kalmyk ancestry are intertwined with music and movement, love and sex, and grandma’s judgement. The 90-minute performance flies by as she unpacks her stories.
The performance was so beautiful that I didn’t realize until later that the story kept to the safe side of the street. Sophia tells of the genocide of her people, a rough relationship with her mother, growing up in two cultures, infidelity, yet they all come across as though happening to someone else, someone else’s history. While she reaches back across the centuries, Sophia keeps herself at a safe distance. Don’t get me wrong – this is an exquisite carousel ride, but it could be the Steel Vengeance roller coaster. And while grandma believes in the healing power of her tea, Sophia does not strike me as a Teacups type of artist.
There will come a day when you’ll be trying to figure out if you can afford to see a Sophia Guthinov production. (Take a seat, Othelo.) She has a big future. If you see her now, you’ll have a story to tell your friends.
Click HERE for tickets.
Review by Nicole Jesson.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on May 15th, 2025. All rights reserved.