By Jerry Portwood
The Bengsons set the rules for their “musical memoir,” My Joy Is Heavy, at the start. The husband-and-wife, indie-folk-punk duo appears as themselves, talking directly to the audience; the house lights are never fully lowered; and they invite everyone to move, make noise, and “be yourself.” This is theater as ceremony, invocation.
The earnestness could be hokey or cloying—Night Side Songs, also playing Off-Broadway, traverses similar territory and fails to rise above the construct. Abigail Bengson’s ritual with two simple houseplants, bestowed upon audience members for safekeeping, shouldn’t work, and yet somehow does. But the ritual magic the couple creates onstage transcends all the woo-woo to become one of my favorite evenings of theater this year.
The less you know, the better
Perhaps you shouldn’t know too much about the couple’s story at the core of this creation. The marketing descriptions are intentionally vague (“a funny and tender indie-folk-punk show about grief and healing”), and watching people process their trauma in front of you can be extremely uncomfortable.
It wasn’t the gut-punch of a story about their miscarriage during the global COVID-19 pandemic itself that affected me—something that I will never experience directly during my lifetime—it was Abigail’s singing. Although I’d heard tales about their previous works (Hundred Days and The Lucky Ones), I’d never witnessed their chemistry or heard that voice. And now I want to consume every recording and shred of their creative genius.
Hypnotic and rhythmic, raw and keening, Abigail’s style of singing leaps registers and warbles. She growls, vibrates, and yodels. The closest thing I can compare it to is Shara Nova, who performs as My Brightest Diamond and was one of the core vocalists of Illinoise (the stage adaptation of Sufjan Stevens’ album). Director Rachel Chavkin (Hadestown) brings a similar intensity to every detail of My Joy Is Heavy, with choreography by Steph Paul and music supervision by Or Matias. Don’t be mistaken, there is plenty of humor and lightness, too. Yet, I was awed by the power brought into the theatre; the catharsis felt earned; the space made holy as we witnessed and were in communion with one another. Hallelujah!
Is ‘My Joy is Heavy’ worth seeing?
5 out of 5 stars
The Bengsons turn a devastating family event, a pandemic, and two houseplants into one of the most transcendent evenings of theater you’ll see this year.
- New York Theatre Workshop, 79 E 4th Street, New York City
- Notable performers: Abigail and Shaun Bengson
- Running time: 70 minutes, no intermission
- Performances through April 5, 2026
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