A solo performance from actress and singer Natasha Mikha brought the most iconic woman in Hollywood history back to life in Marilyn Monroe “Unknown Letters”, which received its world premiere at Santa Monica Playhouse last month.
Norma Jeane Baker, who became the starlet Marilyn Monroe, died aged 36 more than sixty years ago, but her influence and image are instantly recognisable across the generations. Just a suggestion of lips, eyes, and silhouette are enough.
Told entirely through Marilyn Monroe’s actual letters, diary entries, and poems, “Unknown Letters” has the potential to fascinate.
However, in this streamed version, the sound quality is often poor, preventing us from connecting with Mikha’s performance. Voices other than hers are amplified.
We do get some insight into her as a woman and a performer rather than the cheesecake model we often see, and there is no sense of impersonating the subject at all – there doesn’t need to be.
A lot of familiarity with Marilyn Monroe is assumed, from her marriage to Arthur Miller to the temprament of her acting coach, or her agent.
Much of the 40-minute show is composed of Marilyn answering questions from an unseen audience (of reporters, fans, or voices in her head?). At other times she sings (“I Want To be Loved By You”).
It’s not a perfect piece: too short, and without a proper emotional centre. But I liked the approach, and the idea behind it, and it could grow into something far more focused.
2.5 stars in its current form, due to the sound issues.
Marilyn Monroe: Unknown Letters was streamed as part of the Binge Fringe Festival of free theatre, from Santa Monica Playhouse. You can find more details on Mikha’s website.