In Confessions of a Menopausal Femme Fatale, writer and performer Satori Shakoor takes the stage alone with just a lounge chair and nightstand to deliver an intimate and often humorous account of her twelve-year journey through menopause. What begins as a simple flight to Hawaii with her husband in May 2022 quickly spirals into a deep self-reckoning. Soon, an anxiety attack forces her to confront the emotional baggage tied to her past on the islands. Her time in Hawaii decades earlier had been marked by escape from a strained marriage and the debilitating responsibility that comes with motherhood. Now, with her son Noah grown, Shakoor returns seeking healing and clarity, using personal storytelling, reenactments, and audio effects to bring these moments vividly to life.
Throughout the special, Shakoor recounts physical and emotional trials brought on by menopause—hot flashes, hormonal spikes, and identity shifts—all woven together with vulnerability and comedic candor. She touches on the absurdity of middle age, the complexity of desire as a self-described “cougar,” and the pain of postpartum depression after Noah’s birth, when her body and mind seemed to rebel against motherhood. Music and sound cues accentuate key moments, like conversations with doctors, airline announcements, and a deeply honest exchange with her own mother about aging and self-worth.
“…a twelve-year journey through menopause…”
Shakoor’s narrative takes a turn when a call from her mother in Detroit interrupts her time in Canada, where she had landed her first writing job for television and was attending a Nicotine Anonymous meeting. Noah is in the hospital with a life-threatening condition, prompting a confrontation with Khalid and a painful reckoning with the uncertainty of Noah’s survival. Flashbacks to Noah’s birth reveal feelings of detachment, failure, and the haunting mental “monster” that stalked her early days as a mother. But as her story unfolds, Shakoor reclaims not only her voice but also her sense of purpose, turning her most vulnerable confessions into a powerful call for self-acceptance.
When watching Confessions of a Menopausal Femme Fatale, it’s best to set up expectations. You are not getting a typical stand-up comedy special, where Shakoor sets us up with a joke and delivers a comedic punch line. This special is a one-woman show that blends humorous and sobering elements. She calls it ‘stand-up storytelling,’ which is fitting, as her strength lies in weaving together witty reflections, song, and life wisdom to create an engaging and insightful evening.
What I found most intriguing is how Shakoor begins her special by setting herself up as the villain of the piece. She’s about to go on vacation and is forced to confront the day she left her husband and son, believing that “I loved my son, but hated being his mother.” It’s a cold, harsh statement that sets the tone for a raw and emotional journey as Shakoor begins to deconstruct her life and find redemption as a wife, mother, and most importantly, a woman.
Confessions of a Menopausal Femme Fatale is ultimately about facing down shame, regret, and identity with unflinching honesty. Shakoor doesn’t ask for pity—instead, she gives voice to the complicated and often hidden realities of womanhood. By the end, what emerges is not just a chronicle of menopause, but a triumphant reclaiming of the self through art, truth, and laughter.
"…I loved my son, but hated being his mother."
