Constellation Theatre Company’s staging of Women Beware Women, while described by its 15th century playwright Thomas Middleton as a tragedy, is a wonderfully entertaining farce as boldly adapted by Jesse Berger. It’s a crazy, wild ride of a play where the terrific cast of morally depraved characters and their sly, knowing winks to the audience keep the laughs coming as friends and lovers become haters and co-conspirators, ultimately plotting each others’ demise. Shades of Sweeney Todd—only not as dark.
Middleton’s play is a real soap opera, with all of the salacious plot twists and backstabbing that are essential ingredients of a trashy novel. Set in Florence, Italy and inspired by an Italian story of love and intrigue in the early 1600s, the lovely young Bianca (Caley Millken) is engaged to wed Leantio (Thomas Keegan). He’s a working man and Bianca, while seemingly naïve is also upwardly mobile. At the same time, Isabella (Katy Carkuff) seems to be involved in a flirtation with Hippolito (Jonathan Church) who is—or is he???—her uncle. There are several weavers of thorny webs in this play—and Livia, Isabella’s aunt (the brilliant Sheila Hennessey,) is the sexy, manipulative black widow, lying and smiling and prancing around the stage in her black corset, ostrich feather boas, short flouncy skits and black boots.
The costumes, designed by Kendra Rai, are an eccentric inspiration. It’s a bit of a mash up. For instance, Isabella’s outfits resemble whore couture of the late 1800s—if their skirts were really short.
Which brings us to Guardiano (Keith Irby), the uncle and guardian of Ward (Felipe Cabezas), the rich young heir. Guardiano is seeking a wife for this somewhat clueless and pampered young man, and Irby is great as he saunters around the stage with a grandly self-important air, costumed as the Gentlemen’s Quarterly pimp—complete with colorful shirts (no prints—that would be tacky), hats worn at just the right angle, and a walking stick (which can also be used as a weapon.).
The pacing of the play is tight, and director Allison Arkell Stockman succeeds in drawing the audience in and keeping us interested in a plot that, in lesser hands, could become a tangled mess. She also keeps all the characters in line, and her interpretation of this morality play displays a light touch. We’re kept in on the joke, being tipped off to the fact that some of the cast members are in for a nasty surprise.
Bianca marries Leantio, and while he’s away in another province working, the Duke of Florence (Brian Hemmingsen) sees her and decides to take her for himself. As the Duke, Hemmingsen is perfect as the only character that is consistent with and appreciative of his immorality. He’s a man who is used to getting what he wants, without any apologies.
So he asks Guardiano to lure Bianca to his lair, and as Leantio’s mother (Lisa Lias) and Livia play chess in another room the Duke corners and overpowers Bianca. She relents, bitterly, but soon she realizes that having an affair with the Duke might just serve her own ambitions.
Leantio comes home to find his wife Bianca is cold and dismissive, and she soon decides to cut him loose and marry the Duke. He pushes back by calling her a whore, and as he slides towards skepticism about love Livia decides to seize the moment. “What is the key to whoredom?” she asks, ironically as she sets her sights on Leantio. She offers him “my love, my soul and my riches.” He tosses his wedding ring, while offering this cynical vow: “I will love enough and take enough.”
As Bianca and the Duke plan the big wedding banquet, the specter of judgment lurks about in the guise of the Cardinal (Ashley Ivey). Dressed in red clerical robe, the Cardinal, who also happens to be the Duke’s brother, chastises him with an edge of irony and jealousy. “Time spent in goodness is too tedious” says the Cardinal, and he demands his brother repent for all his sins—adultery being at the top of the list. The Duke falls to his knees, begs for forgiveness, while giving us that sly wink.
The wedding plans continue, while Guardiano connects Isabella with Ward. Isabella still has feelings for Hippolito, who it turns out, isn’t her uncle, and Livia is implicated in the lie that has made Isabella suffer in love. Then Hippolito is outraged that Leantio has wed his sister, and a swordfight begins. Isabella plans revenge on Livia. Bianca, tired of the Cardinal’s haranguing, decides to poison him at the wedding.
One of the tenets of Calvinism is that people are inclined to serve their own interests, and are basically unable to choose the high road, to serve God. And because of the choices they made, as Middleton puts it in Women Beware Women, all the characters are doomed. It is interesting that even the death scenes are played in an over the top way—for laughs, it seems; Middleton’s chuckle at the absurdity of immorality.
Women Beware Women
By Thomas Middleton
Adapted by Jesse Berger
Directed by Allison Arkell Stockman
Reviewed by Carol Chastang
Women Beware Women runs thru Nov. 14, 2010 at Source, 1835 14th St. NW, Washington, DC.
Details here.
Buy Tickets.
REVIEWS:
WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN
- Jenn Larson . WeLoveDC
TwoHoursTraffic - Patrick Folliard . Washington Blade
- Tom Avila . MetroWeekly
Chris Klimek . Washington City Paper
Missy Frederick . DCist - Celia Wren . Washington Post
Last night, I saw and loved Constellation’s magnificent staging. I’m glad Joe Brack mentions that Women Beware Women is a Jacobean tragedy (that was contemporaneous with and followed Shakespeare). There is a vast difference between a Revenge tragedy written by a playwright who lived in the 1600’s; not the 1400’s. Huge difference. The Protestant Reformation after 1519, for one thing. Religious wars. Cynical, world-weariness, for another, reflected in these 17th century blood-lusty, body-littered stage plays, that were required reading for English Lit majors at U.C.L.A. eons ago. Back then, we were made aware of theater history, which thankfully Artistic Director Allison Arkell Stockman pays tribute to in her “Welcome….” notes. The send up at the end is inspired theatricality. Thank you, Jesse Berger.
–Rosalind Lacy MacLennan
I saw WBW a couple weeks ago and still find myself remembering bits of it throughout my day. The ending was fu as hell: dark, funny, and generous in it’s desire to slake the audience’s thirst to impose natural justice on these horrible characters we can relate to all to well. It carried me away at the time. Fun as hell.
As a fan of this show who was NOT involved in the producton, I have to say that one of the aspects of this site I appreciate most is that members of casts and production teams comment. What critic doesn’t value privileged (opposed to “schewed”/ skewed) insight?
At any rate, see this show if you get the chance. I think you can get discounted tix now. I wish I could see it again.
I saw the show last night and would not label it as farce. Not even close. Farce was last year’s Flea in Her Ear (brilliantly true to my understanding of farce) Women Beware Women was another strong production for Constellation, full of their signature style and unihibited imaginations. Did we laugh? Yes. But the rhythm, pace and timing lended itself to darker, quirky comedy rather than the bright lights, pinned up, slamming doors comedic style we all understand as farce.
From Iam Bic “Don’t comment on shows you’ve worked on.”
Since when has the First Amendment been repealed?
I think I meant ‘niche’ instead of genre. Sometimes it’s hard to find the right word…and bummer for no edit features.
–Jesse
What’s up with all the nom de plume’s?
I agree that a statement like “lives in it’s own genre” sounds a bit pretentious and strikes as heavy handed. However, it is not the job of a theatre company to “stay true” to a genre. I would have been bored to tears watching folks in doublet and hose walking around in a period sitting room. Blech!
As a company member of Constellation Theatre, who had absolutely nothing to do with this particular production, I will say I thought the show was a very polished, beautifully rendered, valiant attempt at a lesser produced Jacobean tragedy. Was it a groundbreaking, provocative, perspective altering night of theatre? No. It represented, as all of Constellation’s shows do, what the mission states, ensemble acting, heightened physicality and elevated language, with emphasis on design. A lovely evening of theatrical entertainment. Exciting and enjoyable.
Anyway, why comment on a “critique” that reads more like a college level book report.
Composeyourself,
“lives in it’s own genre”.
“Burton movie-really dark comedy”.
Your comment is just ridiculous and too very biased to be taken seriously. Don’t comment on shows you’ve worked on. Your view is schewed.
I’m biased because I worked on the show, but I think that one of the production’s strengths is that it lives in its own genre, and isn’t easily identifiable as ‘a Middleton Play’. It’s not played for farce–thought humor is definitely mined. Think of the show like a Burton movie–really dark comedy. Attend and find out for yourself.
This was a fantastic production. As always, the costumes of Kendra Ray are amazingly breathe taking(they performed more than some of the actors). My only issue with the show is it wasn’t dark enough. It seemed to me that this company did not understand some of the more sinister twists and turns in their fairly light adaptation. This show should never be described as a farce, but I can easily see how one would assume it is in Constellation’s presentation. In my opinion a great show, but not true to the playwrite or genre.
Can’t wait to see this play — but a bit concerned…A FARCE?
Is this the adaptation? I’m not sure it needs to be adapted….read it a couple of times…saw it when the Academy for Classical Acting did it.
Sure, these horror plays have some laughs but I hope it’s nice and lurid and edge-of-your seat, not silly.