THE 1041C Theater Reviews

Pretty lighting. Water fountains. People dressed up. New York City. I was in heaven. It was a beautiful scene, outside of Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont theatre. I was exhausted and breathless from running around in 4-inch heels, but I was driven by a giddy sense of pleasure, and adventure, that I felt about going to see a well-reviewed play with my friends. The play will last until 11 pm, but it will be a great experience. I will enjoy it and I will create lasting memories, about an excellent play, and an epic night of fun with well-dressed friends.

That’s not exactly what happened, but what did was all right. I expected something spectacular, something I was sure to enjoy and remember, and that was what we got, at least at first. The play began on a high note. Two of the three actors I thought were excellent, Jeffrey Wright as Jacques Cornet, and Mos as Cupidon Murmur, came on stage and set the bar for the performance. They were amazing. When the scene changed, the production reached what I believed was its height- the moment the props came out of nowhere. I was surprised and amazed. I was very impressed by the sets, my favorite part of the production. I did not expect such a strategic use of props. It was not difficult to distinguish between scenes. Transitions were executed smoothly and easily. With the simple addition of a few plants and background music, the stage was transformed into a tropical island. Portrait frames dropped from the ceiling and created a grand backdrop for the “house” scenes. The floor moved, couches and beds appeared out of nowhere and a platform moved towards the audience- it was impossible to overlook the creative, innovative use of machinery.

Unfortunately, the excitement did not last. Once the whores came out and performed their dialogues, it became almost painful to watch. While the directors and stage managers executed their jobs flawlessly, the actors just did not meet my expectations. As they said their lines, and moved around the stage, I was annoyingly aware that they were acting. It was predictable- I felt them count down their pauses, I knew when they were going to raise their voices. They were overacting. Aside from Cornet and Murmur, the only other standout was Wendy Rich Stetson as Lady Harcourt. Her “bah-doom” was memorable. She was genuinely funny.

Despite the fact that the play ran from 8-11 pm, it held my attention quite well. Only the middle hour or so disappointed. The plot became difficult to follow. It was, in my opinion, too long and became increasingly uninteresting as it went on. The lackluster acting did not help. It was quite upsetting to realize that my expectations were not met, but maybe that was a fault not entirely theirs. I realize that some other members of the audience really enjoyed the play, but I just was not one of them and that, I truly regret.