E.M. Davis and Arasha (Photo by Brian Hashimoto)
Reviewed by Julyza Commodore
East West Players and Hypokrit Live Arts
Thru November 1.
Penned by Jaclyn Backhaus and in co-production with Hypokrit Live Arts, this Southern California premiere at East West Players poses a few questions. Among them, and the most salient: What would it be like to have women rewrite traditional stories penned by men?
The show travels from 16th century France, to India in the 1920’s, to 1960’s Idaho, to the present day at the fictional “Oxbridge” University.
Each of the four actors is given much to explore through the various vignettes as we’re able to view highly regarded men through the lens of their wives.
Under Arpita Mukherjee’s direction, the seriousness of the subjugation of women comes sprinkled with comedic moments, while being sure not to create a male-centered production. Instead, the focus is mainly what the women feel after being left widowed, and/or left to “fight the man.”
For instance, in 1960s Idaho, we see the Man (Parvesh Cheena) portraying Ernest Hemingway as he renders (with some silliness) his own eulogy. Shortly thereafter, we see three of Hemingway’s widows, portrayed respectively by Rachna Khatau, E.M. Davis and Arasha. They are grieving, reminiscing and often laughing at their experience with their now dead husband. What is often socially expected of widows of the same husband is that they don’t befriend one another. These widows beg to differ.
While the show sheds light on womanhood and the patriarchy, it also sheds light on the various attempts by women to defy it and thereby define themselves for themselves. With some flippant singing a few times in the show, as well as great comedic timing from eachactor, the production is lighthearted and easy to digest. By the time the present day comes, we see Wife 3 (Arasha) as a college student who is yearning to connect to her ancestors in order to know where to go next in her life. After being able to summon them, she spends a great deal of time expressing what has come before her and how she is the product of a long series of events and traditions. Although this portion feels long, the importance of her understanding her past is clear.
But the larger issue is how she comes to such an epiphany, which she describes at length, so quickly after summoning her ancestors. Her accrued wisdom doesn’t feel justified by the writing. In the theater, even a dream with wild twists and turns needs to make emotional sense.
Still, this is an enjoyable and relevant play, despite its flippant jokiness, and with its imperfections.
East West Players, 120 N. Judge John Aiso Street; Mon & Fri., 7:30 pm;
Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 5pm; (added perfs Sat., Oct. 17, 2 pm with post show talkback. Sun, Oct. 28,
Saturday, October 24th & 31st, Sun., Oct. 25, “masked matinee” perfs at 2 pm.); thru Nov. 1.
https://tinyurl.com/59w5anp9, running time: 90 minutes, no intermission
