Review by Keridwyn Deller:

Gin Hammond is one of the Pacific Northwest’s top vocal talents. One woman shows are hard to pull off but as soon as I saw Gin’s name attached to Book-it’s performance, I marked the date on my calendar – she is just that talented.  Gin soars as performer and author of Returning The Bones, Book-it’s current production at Erickson Theatre in Capitol Hill in Seattle, now through April 14. Get your tickets now to see this fierce, lovely, insightful, talented woman play 28 (TWENTY EIGHT!) characters in one night of theatre.

I want you to see this show. I truly enjoyed our night at the theatre and have thought of this production many times since seeing it. I loved Returning The Bones storyline, the writing, the moments of laughter, the history unveiled, the moments that help us remember how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go as a society. I’ve procrastinated writing this review because I want it to be well written, to be worth of the art that is on that stage. Gin Hammond’s “Returning the Bones” is a true gift to Seattle and I want you to see it.  If I could hit pause on my night and find the time to find more words to describe this show for you tonight, I would do it. But I can’t seem to find that pause button. And this show closes April 14 which means you only have a few shows left to see the show and this is a small theatre, friends. So I’m tossing this review up to get the word out. I recommend you get your tickets now.  (Read other reviews of the show on Book-it’s Facebook page.) Also, I want to mention this show is 90 minutes + an intermission – perfect for any night of the week. (I love shows that are under 2 hours – see earlier note about needing that pause button in life. This show is worth putting down your to-do list and taking a moment to hear Bebe’s story, eloquently told by the delightful Gin Hammond). Recommended for ages 11+.

In their own words:

“Book-It Repertory Theatre (Book-It) presents acclaimed Seattle actress Gin Hammond’s inspiring, 28-character solo play, Returning the Bones. Based on the life of Hammond’s aunt, Dr. Carolyn Beatrice Montier (aka “Bebe”), Returning the Bones brilliantly responds to one of life’s most challenging questions: How do you choose between your country, your people, and yourself? A surprisingly comical story, Returning the Bones brings us into intimate contact with the luminaries of the day including President Lyndon B. Johnson, Eleanor Roosevelt, James Baldwin, and Queen Elizabeth. Returning the Bones runs through April 14, 2019 at The Erickson Theatre on Capitol Hill.

On sharing her aunt’s remarkable life with the world, Hammond remarks, “Of all the feedback I’ve gotten for this show, my favorite is, ‘after seeing this show my husband decided he would keep fighting for something he was about to give up on.’ It’s a very different time from when I first started writing this show, but it feels more relevant than ever. I’m also excited to bring the audience on a journey to so many different countries, especially after living abroad for the past year. And, I have to confess that I’m simply looking forward to being able to spend time with the main character again; to feel her presence, her humor, her courage, and her profound ability to love.'”

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Photos by John Ulman