Solomonson's imaginative use of theatricality allows use to empathize with and relate to the internal tensions of a person suffering from dementia, rather than pitying them from the outside. The Goodbye Levee is not afraid to address difficult, emotionally-fraught issues at the heart of identity and autonomy, but does so with humor and honesty and inventiveness, avoiding the trap of soapboxing. A highly enjoyable read and a showcase of the flexibility and power of the medium of live theatre.

I had the chance to see this read at the New Works at The Works competition in Memphis, TN, in December 2019. This play was one of the winners, and well deserved. It provides a heart-rending and astute view inside the mental chaos brought on by Celeste's dementia and the familial mayhem it wreaks. Utilizing a variety of creative devices, from the life-size "doll" version of Celeste to several audience participation moments, Solomonson takes us on an unsettling rollercoaster of emotions, while still finding room for some cutting, honest humor that never disrespects the topic, the disease, or anyone involved.

A compelling portrait of a woman and her family struggling with her mental decline told with startling originality. Celeste is never pitied or made to look weak, she instead bursts with the vitality of someone fully in command of her wants and desires even as she loses her hold on reality. The play moves through real, hallucinatory, and remembered states, but through it all Solomonson maintains exceptional control so the reader is never lost and is always fully engaged. The audience participation sections are innovative. It’s very exciting when experimental theatre is executed so flawlessly.