WHO DOES YOUR LAUNDRY?
Written by Alice Litchfield and Martina Demaio Directed by Libby Yowell
Presented by the New York City Fringe Festival
April 1, 2026 - April, 15 2026
The Annual New York City Fringe jumped off to a glorious start with Who Does Your Laundry? by Alice Litchfield and Martina DeMaio who also star in the production. An unsuspecting little dramedy, suited perfectly to the Fringe. Sweet, funny, poignant, these two women have created the perfect play to showcase their talents. This 45-minute play is just the type of thing that could surprise everyone with a best in show award.
Just your basic Saturday at the laundromat, Alda has come prepared. She has two loads of laundry, music, snacks, a notebook and of course soap and plenty of quarters. No sooner has she settled in to clean some clothes than Celia arrives. Celia seems a little lost. She’s dressed for a posh round of pickleball, can’t figure out how to open the washer door, brought no soap, no quarters and no patience. Alda watches the struggle and steps in with a helping hand even though Celia has snagged her soap without asking. The only thing it will cost Celia is a little conversation.
Alda is not one to plug in earphones and drown out the world when people are around. She wants to make connections with her fellow humans. Celia could not be less inclined to make a connection. She has only remained during her wash cycle because she’s afraid someone will steal her clothes. If anything, Celia hesitantly unplugs from her cellphone like accepting a dare. For the next 30-minutes we learn about their lives, their differences and their desires. When Alda borders on getting too personal, Celia realizes just who Alda really is.
A play like this could easily come across as pedantic, but the actors' nuanced performances don’t allow for that. They are too genuine. Litchfield and DeMaio’s interpretations of Celia and Alda respectively feel 100% natural. As writers, they’ve also built in great ways to mark the pacing of the play - the wash and dryer cycles! Director, Libby Yowell has taken a gentle hand to guide these writer-actors through their creation. The limitations of any fringe revolve around time – you have an hour to set-up, perform and breakdown. This piece never feels like it’s racing the clock. It builds slowly, develops the characters fully and concludes elegantly. Who Does Your Laundry? may be about opposing worldviews, but no one should be opposed to catching a viewing!
Click HERE for tickets.
Review by Nicole Jesson.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on April 4, 2026. All rights reserved.
