2 out of 5 stars

The tradwife – or traditional wife – movement is a subject that could be worthy of dramatic exploration. But Laura Clare Browne’s “atticwife” doesn’t quite hit the mark. Browne, who also stars in this short (50 minute) two-hander as the wife sequestered in an attic, can’t decide if she’s writing a satire or something more sinister. The result is a dark comedy that fails to elicit many laughs or that truly shocks. But Jen Clark, playing the woman who tries to save the attic wife from her life of isolation, brings an earnest verve to her part that keeps things moving. — Charles Passy

At 59E59 Theaters as part of the East to Edinburgh 2026 festival, through July 26, 2026; 59e59.org. (Review date: July 30, 2026)