FROM CUBICLES TO CLARITY:
A THEATRICAL GEM IN FOG CITY
San Francisco’s Word for Word Theatre Company, known for its singular mission of staging short stories word-for-word—narration and all—returns with Annunciation, a semi-autobiographical tale by Lauren Groff. Presented in collaboration with Z Space, the story is a slow-burning meditation on reinvention, loneliness, and quiet transformation, told through the eyes of a 20-something East Coast transplant starting a new life in San Francisco.
Rosie Hallett
After college graduation, the unnamed narrator (played with thoughtfulness and empathy by Rosie Hallett) drives cross-country and lands in a city that’s unfamiliar, overwhelming, and full of possibility. Like many before her (myself included!), she arrives knowing no one, low on money and resources, and ends up working a menial temp job in a cubicle shared with the aloof and secretive Anais (Molly Rebekka Benson). While Anais seems closed off, our narrator is innately curious—making it her mission to understand the woman across from her.
Patricia Silver and Rosie Hallett
She finds housing in a sparsely furnished pool house behind a home owned by the prickly, no-nonsense Griselda (Patricia Silver), a German landlord who reluctantly accepts a female tenant in exchange for low rent and daily chores—most of which involve cleaning up after a large, messy mastiff chained in the backyard. Each day, the narrator takes solace under a great oak tree, a moment of reflection that slowly becomes a ritual. This sweet story unfolds with gentle pacing, filled with introspection, flashes of humor, and a search for moral clarity, especially when she uncovers unsettling information about Anais.
Brennan Pickman-Thoon, Patricia Silver, and Rosie Hallett
The ensemble (Monica Rose Slater, Joanne Winter, and Brennan Pickman-Thoon) shifts fluidly through multiple characters, with Pickman-Thoon even portraying the dog—yes, the dog—for the show’s duration. Director Joel Mullennix creates an in-sync ensemble, giving space for each character to shine. Hallett is especially compelling in the lead: attractive, smart, and deeply relatable, embodying a young woman coming of age while trying to find her moral compass. Benson brings poignancy to Anais, while Silver delivers a standout performance as the brusque Griselda, whose past is peppered with glamour and suspicion.
JoAnne Winter, Brennan Pickman-Thoon, Molly Rebekka Benson, and Monica Slater
Unlike many coming-of-age stories—where men face trials of violence or self-destruction, and women often find themselves defined by romance—Annunciation resists cliché. The title, meaning “a process of becoming,” feels spot-on. Groff’s San Francisco is a vibrant, lonely dream: full of mystery, rough edges, and the seductive idea of freedom. This isn’t a play about plot twists—it’s a story about settling into yourself. And Annunciation captures that process with detail, honesty, and heart.
Rosie Hallett and Molly Rebekka Benson
photos by Jessica Palopoli
Annunciation
Word for Word & Z Space
Z Below, 470 Florida St.
Wed & Thurs at 7; Fri & Sat at 8; Sun at 2
ends on July 13, 2025
for tickets ($45-$70), visit Z Space
