The Turn of the Screw
Reviewed by V Cate
Mmmkay Productions at The Emerald Arthouse
Through March 26
RECOMMENDED
A young and inexperienced governess agrees to care for two orphaned children and travels to a remote manor. However, the job of caring for the strange siblings quickly ushers in a growing sense of unease. As secrets surrounding her wards and the isolated estate are unearthed, reality becomes more ambiguous. Death, undeath, and sexual sublimation are specters that haunt this theatrical telling.
Jeffrey Hatcher’s theatrical adaptation of Henry James’ 1898 novella was crafted for only two performers: “The Woman” is the governess, whose experience creates the narrative that takes place at the eerie Bly manor. “The Man” plays all other roles.
(Note: The role of “The Woman” is split evenly between Megan Cochrane and Shayna Gabrielle, though Michael Mullen plays “The Man” for each performance in the run. The date this show was reviewed, Cochrane performed.)
Under Jeramiah Peay’s skillful direction, the actors work with remarkable precision and conviction. Mullen weaves in and out of various characters with impressive timing. His portrayal of the 10-year-old Miles stands out as particularly sincere. Meanwhile, Cochrane descends from a beguiling ingenue into a character that is part unreliable narrator, part final-girl, part depraved, and possibly mad. Both performances are complex for different reasons, and each requires an actor with particular prowess. Peay’s directorial style is one that honors the source material by stripping away what is not needed and purely focusing on telling the story well so that both the script and the actors are allowed to truly shine.
As stipulated by the playwright, there are no props, the stage is left sparse, and our players are bedecked in traditional Victorian-Gothic attire. Mullen, who deftly dips into various characters throughout the show, also wears multiple hats behind the scenes: as both the show’s producer and costume designer. The costumes are particularly impressive, historically accurate, and visually luscious.
Possibly the greatest things about this story are the things that are never fully revealed. Intentional ambiguity creates the greatest source of tension: We know that something is very wrong… we’re just not completely sure what that something is. Whether certain horrors are real or imagined, the details are withheld so that an audience might have their own personal experience with the darkness.
Mmmkay Productions at The Emerald Arthouse, 6440 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood; Fri.- Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 4 pm (added perf. Thurs., Mar. 16, 8 pm); through Mar. 26. https://mmmkay-productions.ticketleap.com/the-turn-of…/. Running time: approximately 70 minutes with no intermission.
