2 out of 5 stars

How would history -- or rather, herstory -- unfold in a world without men? So imagines Melissa Maney in “Hungry Women,” her playful but sophomoric work. The drama begins in 1881 after all men suspiciously die. Then, it jumps to a modern era that's undergone a century without the patriarchy, and it concludes in a future marred by uncertainty. Julia Lester delivers an electric lead performance, but she can’t save a show that poorly echoes classic dystopian works of fiction, including "1984" "The Giver" and "The Handmaid's Tale." — Justin McCallum

At SoHo Playhouse, through Aug 30, 2026; hungrywomenplay.com. (Review date: Aug. 5, 2026)