THE 1041C Theater Reviews

Walking out of that crowded subway station, following my professor and a few friends, I really did not know what to expect from this evening. Pass the turnstiles, up the escalators and through the brightly lit tunnel we finally reach the outside. The cold but refreshing night breeze snapped me out of the trancelike state induced by the stuffy subway air. The first sight that greeted us was Lincoln Center in its entire splendor. Lincoln Center was pretty in the daytime but it was absolutely stunning at night, the brightly lit fountains, the glowing glass building. Into the lobby, up the stairs, pass the ushers, and on to the cushioned theater seats, here we are, let the show begin.

The lights dimmed and went dark until only the stage was lit. Out come Jacques Cornet and Cupidon Murmur with their banter between master and somewhat highly regarded slave. This introduction was iconic of the performance that was to follow. The interaction between Jacques and Murmur was hilarious to say the least. The way that Murmur manages play the role of both humble servant and long time friend is very impressive; I give the actor a lot of credit for being able to do this. Jacques has a very strong stage presence; he is able to grab the entire audience’s attention with his amusing arrogance and selfishness. But somehow the two characters managed to create a balance that lasted throughout the entire play.

The stage goes dark, but just bright enough for the audience to see the props rise out of the trapdoors on the stage. I must say, no matter how many times this occurs throughout the play, it never ceases to impress. The scene with the prostitutes portrayed the element of sex that was going to be a central aspect of the play. Personally, I thought this could have been done better than having the women swarming around Jacques Cornet in their undergarments. Throughout the play, it becomes evident that prostitutes are not the only women who were attracted to Jacques. Virtually every woman, many being wives, within the play gives into to Jacques’ advances. Ironically enough, not once does Jacques seek to satisfy his urges with his own wife.

During this scene, the first shift between settings occurs, when the stage suddenly goes dark and the props are hurriedly removed from stage. Out comes Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Triney Sandoval, in his bathtub, trying to develop strategies for his military campaigns. His lack of civility when dealing with people within his close circle is very amusing. The way he barks at his servant and wife alike made me laugh numerous times. The way that his narrow mind led him to curse a variety of British creations, even creations that were ahead of his time was really entertaining. This anachronism would be a source of humor throughout the entire play.

The lighting was very important throughout the play. By dimming the lighting of the stage, the transitions between scenes could be done without lowering the curtain. By selectively dimming the lights, the audience attention was directed or redirected to different locations on stage. But perhaps the most important function of the lighting is giving the stage the full effect of the setting. I particularly liked when the entire stage was drowned in white light to signify the white spaces on the map. Towards the climax of the film, when the ghost of Jacques’ half brother appeared on stage, the lighting was used to convey to the audience a sense of fear and foreboding.

Overall, I found the performance very entertaining and stimulating. It was a historical play but was not so centered on portraying the historical aspects of it to lose my interest. A few liberties taken on the part of the writers did not take away at all from the overall effect of the story. The one aspect of the play that bothered me was how much sex was incorporated. I found that the sexual aspects of the play actually did not add much to the story and did not need to be emphasized as much as it was. But the other aspects of the play more than made up for it.