The Pile of Stuff at the Bottom of the Stairs

Mom-of-two Mary is an angry woman, and she's determined to count the ways. But list-o-mania doesn't begin to cover the legion of gripes the part-time TV producer has against husband Joel, whom she is secretly, and hilariously, judging. Hopkinson (Cyber Cinderella) channels every nasty thought of her mad housewife: Joel leaves clothes and food debris all over the house, and never clears the table. Adding to Mary's woes are her formidable mother-in-law; best friend, Mitzi, whose perfect life hides a kinky secret; and gay-pal Becky, who longs for the kind of messy life Mary moans about. There's far more to this sharp look at the craziness of modern life and love than Mary's angry rants and snarky patter about how everyone is leading a better life than she is, and though there's a too-pat ending for these warring partners, Hopkinson nails a marriage cracking into a million pieces, and manages to make you believe there's always a way to patch things up. (Apr.)