Kirsten Jones and Isaac Deakyne (Photo by Sean Durrie)
Reviewed by Steven Vargas
Loft Ensemble
Through July 21
It’s 1816 and a trio of family friends lean over the ledge of an Alpine villa, looking at two men who could possibly make their endless summer a bit more interesting. Each is considered a “misfit” of European society because they are outside the status quo. They hope that things could change. It does… but not how they intended.
The Year Without a Summer by Greer DuBois — making its world premiere with Loft Ensemble — centers on Matilda Viscontini Dembowski (Kirsten Jones) who is recently separated from her husband and struggling to figure out the next step in her life. With some urging from niece Nina Visvontini Radcliffe (Andrea Casamitjana) and Count Marie-Jean de Pecchio (Lemon Baardsen), she invites to her home two local faces — Henri Brulard (Isaac Deakyne) and Captain Francois Deshaulles (Silas Jean-Rox) — people she’s all too familiar with but hasn’t cared to know. As they peel off each other’s emotional layers through some friendly games, Matilda is challenged to rethink her perceptions of the unexpected guests and expand her world beyond her marriage.
The plot has a strong introduction with plenty of moving parts, from scheming in the garden to fears of the hypothesized exploding sun, giving each character much to play with. It has the mechanics of a comedy of errors, including missed connections and hiding behind doors. However, after navigating the niceties of introductions with humor, the energy dissolves and the story’s direction falls off the tracks. Following intermission, the plot points center on reflective apologies and discussion — letting go of the sharp energy crafted in the first half of the show. Gender diversity seems to tiptoe into the narrative but does not overpower it. This subtlety has some beauty in normalizing trans stories in this historical and theatrical context, but also begs to be expanded. The captain shares that he’s trans and an unexpected bond develops with Matilda, but the setup for this monumental scene is abysmal.
The direction by Maia Luer and Daniel J. Parker is commendable and specific. Throughout the play, each character displays an active objective, even when they are silent. As Brulard crafts a fake identity and talks in circles out of nervousness, Casamitjana’s Nina tries to slip past him before, in frustration, pushing him aside — a small but effective comic moment. Scenic design by Madylin Sweeten and costume design by Danielle Ozymandias and Luer give the character plenty to work with, including a trunk to hide in and gender-fluid attire for Count Marie-Jean de Pecchio. Altogether, it lets the physical comedy soar.
Jones’s performance is top-notch. Her background as a South African and British actor adds to her flair in vocal range and performance, giving her the space to explore (which she does eloquently). She is specific with her comedic timing and tone of each line, allowing each punch line and quip to hit the funny bone. Amadeus (Bethany Koulias) is an unexpected and bright addition to the ensemble. She plays a messenger from Matilda’s soon-to-be ex-husband and knows just when the work needs silence or abrupt disruption. When asked a question, she’ll ponder it and let it sink in before offering a sharp response (often at an octave higher). Lastly, Jean-Rox exhibits a specialty in wielding his physical comedy. When coaxing Brulard to knock on the door, he’s stiff — until he finds the right moment to introduce a judgmental head and hand movement that pulls a laugh out of the audience. His character is trying to prove he is a captain, so Jean-Rox will even expose his calves at any opportunity, a common way to parade status at the time. What makes it great is observing how his posturing evolves. As he gets nervous, the pose trembles.
The Year Without a Summer ends abruptly with an unexpected plot twist. Nina goes on the run for something greater, which seems out of character. The show attempts to have a strong resounding conclusion that speaks to the brutalities of war and women’s independence, but those threads seem to wither. Despite the script’s unclear intentions, this Loft Ensemble production is an exciting feat that keeps the audience laughing at each absurd action.
Loft Ensemble, 11031 Camarillo St., North Hollywood. Fri.-Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 7 p.m.; thru July 21. https://www.loftensemble.org/event-details/the-year-without-a-summer-by-greer-dubois-2024-07-05-20-00 Running time: 90 minutes with one 10-minute intermission.
