Review Fix Exclusive: Lenore Skomal Talks ‘BLUFF’

Review Fix chats with playwright and author Lenore Skomal, who discusses her upcoming production, “BLUFF,” detailing its origin from a book to now a play and the creative process that fueled the entire process.

“BLUFF” is set for its run at the Thespis Festival on Aug. 2 at 9 p.m., Aug 3 at 6:15 p.m. and Aug. 6 at 6 p.m.

For more on the play, click here.

Review Fix: What inspired BLUFF?

Lenore Skomal: My real life experience. As my mother lay in her hospital bed in an end-of-life morphine coma, a physician walked in the door, holding a clipboard. In a loud voice, he asked, “I need to ask you a few questions about your mother’s wishes, when it comes to life support.” She was merely feet away. I grabbed his arm, and whispered, “Can we do this out in the hallway.” He stared back and sniffed, “She can’t hear us.” I pushed him out of the door anyway. In short, the kernel of the idea stems back to her death in 1990. I was dogged by the question, when she was in and out of consciousness: Where is her spirit?

Review Fix: How difficult was it to turn the novel into a play?

Skomal: Very. Much harder than I initially thought. A novel like BLUFF has multiple subplots and many characters. Even though I knew I needed one story arc for the play, it was very difficult for me to distill the plot to its essence, which is essentially what any successful playwright does. It took many, many ruthless rewrites and iterations, six developmental readings and heartbreaking decisions to get BLUFF ready for stage. Plays and novels are two very different animals.

Review Fix: What did you learn about yourself in this process?

Skomal: Whatever ego I had entering this world has been sufficiently tamed. The journey has sparked a new passion for writing that I had lost. Writing for stage is rewarding in a sense that book writing is not. Being able to layer a story in a multidimensional, sensory way (by virtue of what a stage and actors bring to it) what readers normally have to to do themselves is an amazingly exhilarating experience. And heady, too. It’s fantastic to bring to life the world and the characters that once were in my head. I’ve also become a much stronger writer through this, flexing little-known muscles and loving every minute of the workout.


Review Fix: You’re known for your sense of humor, how does BLUFF channel into that?

Skomal: Though some like to pigeon hole BLUFF as a “dark” play, I humbly disagree. BLUFF is peppered with humor, much of it dry, but all of it sophisticated, rather than slapstick or predictable. Like my own humor, I’d like to think. There is the wry humor of sarcastic Jude Black, our protagonist, the fun sparring between her and her best friend’s husband who basically can’t stand her, some witty cat-fighting between Jude’s nurse and her best friend, and moments of authentic laugh-out-loud moments, thanks to the superb acting by our cast.

Review Fix: How involved with the production are you currently?


Skomal: Very. In every aspect of it, from marketing to script changes to attending each rehearsal. But I don’t speak actor, so I let the director handle all of that. I’m just there for moral support and to help clarify any character questions that may arise.

Review Fix: What’s special about the cast?

Skomal: Superb, talented, dedicated, involved, and passionate about the play. These six actors have added textures to my characters that I never anticipated. I’m serious when I say this. It’s a miraculous thing to behold. I essentially believe I’ve created very well-developed characters, but they just keep getting richer and more human with every rehearsal. Goosebumps!

Review Fix: Who will enjoy the production most?


Skomal: Well, me, of course. Oh. Do you mean audience demographics? I’m tempted to say everyone, but logically I know that’s not true. The show isn’t for children, necessarily, but I do encourage teens to come to it because it tackles issues that many of them deal with on an ongoing basis, such as suicide and substance abuse. I won’t lie that this play does deal with a variety of topics, but not in a way that beats the audience over the head or preaches. No, it’s by exploring the tapestry of one woman’s experience with suicide and how that sets in motion a series of circumstances that no one expected, revealing the true nature of those around her.


Review Fix: Bottom line, why should someone see it?

Skomal: Because it’s a damned good play, well-written, thoroughly thought-out and constructed to be so engaging that you won’t be writing your grocery list in your head while counting down the minutes to Intermission. I guarantee– and I do mean this–that you will be thinking about this play for days after you’ve left the theater. It will unknowingly challenge your beliefs.


Review Fix: How do you want to be remembered?

Skomal: Isn’t it enough to be remembered? As a writer who brought sensitivity and authenticity about the human experience wrapped in beautiful, expressive words and packaged in spellbinding, entertaining plays to the stage.

Review Fix: What’s next?


Skomal: A nap. Then bringing this play to Broadway. Finishing my sequel to BLUFF the novel. And not adapting that!