Sunday, 5 November 2006 08:04 pm
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deckardcanineSeeing that you-know-who has finally received his sentence, I think it's time I posted this review:
On Friday, I ushered a new play called Nine Parts of Desire. The playwright, Heather Raffo, plays all nine characters. Eight of them are Iraqi women (well, one an early teen), and one is an American with Iraqi relatives who almost certainly represents Ms. Raffo herself. They all talk to the audience about how life has been for them and the people they know, before and/or after the deposition of Saddam. They are not in agreement on whether the situation has improved or worsened overall, but they do all say that both periods have been quite hard. (Officials' actions during the reign of Saddam were apparently ghastlier than I ever knew.)
The stage layout is abstract in an unusual way. It's the first play I've seen with an irregular pool in the middle of the stage to represent a river. Broken palace-like walls comprise the background, and furniture is arranged in different corners to facilitate character shifts. The actress also sometimes modifies the way she wears her clothes, suggesting different levels of conservatism.
The monologs are all moving, some occasionally funny. I have to give Ms. Raffo a lot of credit for having the energy for 100 intermission-free minutes as nine characters of different ages, accents, mannerisms, etc. Some characters did run together, but that was probably intentional. This may be the most soulful production I'll ever have seen at Arena Stage.
Meanwhile, millions of Americans were seeing Borat. :-/
On Friday, I ushered a new play called Nine Parts of Desire. The playwright, Heather Raffo, plays all nine characters. Eight of them are Iraqi women (well, one an early teen), and one is an American with Iraqi relatives who almost certainly represents Ms. Raffo herself. They all talk to the audience about how life has been for them and the people they know, before and/or after the deposition of Saddam. They are not in agreement on whether the situation has improved or worsened overall, but they do all say that both periods have been quite hard. (Officials' actions during the reign of Saddam were apparently ghastlier than I ever knew.)
The stage layout is abstract in an unusual way. It's the first play I've seen with an irregular pool in the middle of the stage to represent a river. Broken palace-like walls comprise the background, and furniture is arranged in different corners to facilitate character shifts. The actress also sometimes modifies the way she wears her clothes, suggesting different levels of conservatism.
The monologs are all moving, some occasionally funny. I have to give Ms. Raffo a lot of credit for having the energy for 100 intermission-free minutes as nine characters of different ages, accents, mannerisms, etc. Some characters did run together, but that was probably intentional. This may be the most soulful production I'll ever have seen at Arena Stage.
Meanwhile, millions of Americans were seeing Borat. :-/
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