What I Learned in Paris
Reviewed by Dana Martin
South Coast Repertory
Through March 19th
Pearl Cleage’s romantic comedy, What I Learned in Paris, proves that politics and office romance are not compatible.
It’s 1973 on the eve of the historic election of Maynard Jackson, the first black mayor of Atlanta, and his campaign team has plenty of reason to celebrate. J.P. Madison (A. Russell Andrews), a prominent Atlanta lawyer, is riding high on this hard-fought victory, along with his new wife Ann (Kaye Winks), his steadfast campaign counterpart, Lena Jefferson (Celeste M. Cooper) and his junior partner, John Neslon (James T. Alfred). But an illicit affair between Ann and John almost immediately eclipses the jubilance of the historic victory. The secret lovers have a getaway planned as soon as the election dust settles.
When it comes to light that J.P. and Ann’s recent Vegas elopement isn’t exactly of the legal variety, John is emboldened — but Ann is torn due to her family’s pressure to “rise to the demands of history.” J.P. is promptly nominated for city attorney and the urgency to legitimize his union reaches a fever pitch. Meanwhile, J.P.’s ex-wife/force of nature, Eve (Erika LaVonn), shows up unannounced and throws several wrenches into the works in the couple’s best-if-hastily laid wedding plans.
Erika LaVonn’s Eve is the embodiment of the feminine divine. Her meddling in her ex’s affairs is never out of malice. She advocates for female empowerment and independence and even takes measures to provide an avenue for Ann to explore her own sense of freedom and discovery of self. Racism and discrimination are a constant and foreboding threat that Evie takes in stride. LaVonn commands the role with grace and good humor, constantly in the center of her own grandness. It’s very effective.
Celeste M. Cooper’s performance as Lena, the sensible, pragmatic campaign manager with an innate ability for discretion, is grounded and reliable. Cooper oscillates between warmth and pragmatic sensibility with ease. She is the most grounded character in the play and her stability allows the others to explore chaos. Kaye Winks’ performance as the lovely, naïve Ann Madison is delightful and endearing. She’s central to the play’s comedic elements and seems to have fun within her relational bedlam. Russell Andrews’ J.P. is earnest yet rigid and often two-dimensional. He works hard on the technical aspects of his performance but is rarely present with his scene partners. There is no chemistry and only fleeting moments of connection between Andrews and LaVonn and so the tension between them falls flat. James T. Alfred’s performance as John is supportive and reliable.
Lou Bellamy’s direction is heartfelt but finds uneven footing. The play’s pace begins at high octane and then gradually loses steam. It’s overly staged; the actors roam around the stage often pointlessly, which muddies the specificity of the action. Bellamy explores deepening the storytelling within scene transitions; an exciting element that doesn’t go far enough.
Vicki Smith’s set, a sprawling 70’s style apartment-turned-campaign-office, is impressive at first glance but does surprisingly little to serve the play. Campaign debris litters the playing space for its duration — leftovers from a cocktail party and a bridal shower are tossed among the rubble. Dana Rebecca Woods’ costume design embodies the era and illuminates the personality of each character. Don Darnutzer’s lighting design is adequate. Jesse Mandapat’s sound design is soulful and exciting, a consistent reminder of the shifting tide of the outside world — an auditory indication that revolution is in the air.
Cleage served as Maynard Jackson’s press secretary and speechwriter when he was first elected to office at the age of 35 in 1973. She uses her experience as a vehicle to address the difficulty of being on the frontlines of change in the face of racial discrimination and evolving gender norms. She finds joy and lightness in this liminal space.
The play feels simultaneously fresh and dated; weighed down by too many predictable plot points. Regardless, What I Learned in Paris does speak to the current moment; change has come. Cleage weaves messages of female independence and empowerment and the ongoing struggle for racial equality into a quirky romantic comedy. The evening may have been long, but it certainly wasn’t boring. L’ennui est contre-revolutionnaire.
South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa; Wed.-Thurs., 7:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat., 8 pm, Sat., 2:30 p.m., Sun. 2 pm; (714) 708-5555 or scr.org. Running Time: 2 hours and 20 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.
