• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • BOSTON BETTER BEER BUREAU
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • ADVERTISE
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Greater Boston's Alternative News Source

AN ALL-MALE LIAISONS AND AN ALL-FEMALE DIVAS MISS THEIR MARK

Written by CHRISTOPHER EHLERS Posted June 28, 2018 Filed Under: A+E, Performing Arts

Les Liaisons Dangereuses at Central Square Theater

 

Stewart Evan Smith & Dan Whelton. Photo A.R. Sinclair Photography
Stewart Evan Smith & Dan Whelton. Photo A.R. Sinclair Photography

 

★★☆☆☆

 

The idea of an all-male Les Liaisons Dangereuses is one that I find appealing. On paper, at least, such a concept could offer up some fascinating observations about gender and sexuality. And even if this classic story of seduction and debauchery failed to be thought-provoking, at least it would be sexy. Right?

 

Wrong.

 

Lee Mikeska Gardner’s revival of Christopher Hampton’s Les Liaisons Dangereuses for the Nora Theatre Company is a terribly confusing, unendingly dull misfire that is as bland as it is long. Not even the accomplished cast, which includes Greg Maraio, Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Eddie Shields, John Tracey, and Dan Whelton, make Liaisons even partway bearable.

 

The wickedly delicious and slyly sensual story—which most are familiar with from the 1988 John Malkovich and Glenn Close film, Dangerous Liaisons—is convoluted and fast-paced, which is perhaps why the film version remains the most successful version of Hampton’s play (which was itself adapted from the 1782 novel of the same name).

 

I applaud Mikeska Gardner’s risk taking, but this revival’s all-male concept winds up being nothing but distracting. The characters’ genders have not been changed, so what we’re left with are men dressed like men, adorned with a brooch here or a necklace there, adopting mannerisms of femininity.

 

Does the production aim to call out our notions about gender? Are these men pretending to be women? Is gender a construct? What does this production want to say? None of this is clear and it seems more of a gimmick than anything else. A more interesting approach might have been to swap the genders of the play’s characters. Indeed, the sight of women taking advantage of the men in their lives would be fulfilling commentary, particularly in the era of #metoo.

 

The production is woefully lacking in atmosphere, as well. Janie E. Howland’s storybook set pieces evoke the childishness of a school play and John R. Malinowski’s all-or-nothing lighting design is a detriment; Elizabeth Rocha’s costumes, which are all variations of the same white and tan uniform, are a great match for this production in that they are every bit as dull as the rest of it. (Why is one character wearing dance shoes?)

 

Still, Dan Whelton’s performance as Le Vicomte de Valmont is a compelling one. He’s an extraordinary actor who, with better direction, might have given one of the year’s more alluring performances. A playful John Tracey also makes an impression, yet neither are enough to make this Liaisons anything other than grueling.

 

LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES. THROUGH 7.1 AT CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER, 450 MASS. AVE., CAMBRIDGE. CENTRALSQUARETHEATER.ORG

 

DIVAS at OperaHub

 

The Ensemble of DIVAS. Photo by TStop Pictures.
The Ensemble of DIVAS. Photo by TStop Pictures.

 

★★☆☆☆

 

To call DIVAS a new play with opera music is a stretch. It might be more accurate to call it part concert, part Wikipedia entry.

 

This world premiere play by Laura Neill, which runs at the BCA’s Plaza Theatre through June 30, begins promisingly as the cast, in various states of dress, drink wine out of Solo cups and lament the life of working musicians, sexism, and arts funding. But within moments, each of the ladies will have changed into a gown and entered into a sort of paranormal afterlife, and each has taken on the persona of a forgotten opera diva.

 

It reminded me of Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls at first, a play in which a fantasy dinner party occurs featuring different women of history and literature. But such hopes for a dramatically rich evening were dashed as—one by one—each diva touts their accomplishments and life stories (that’s the Wikipedia part) and then follows up with an aria (that’s the concert part).

 

The able cast of 10 are all impressive singers, which make the concert portion of the evening inoffensive, yet there is no dramatic arc to the evening and, as a result, no emotional investment on the part of the audience. DIVAS feels very much like an experiment, which it may well be, but it certainly isn’t a fully realized piece of theater.

 

DIVAS. THROUGH 6.30 AT OPERAHUB AT THE BCA PLAZA THEATRE, 539 TREMONT ST., BOSTON. OPERAHUB.ORG

Christopher Ehlers
CHRISTOPHER EHLERS
+ posts

Theater critic for TheaterMania & WBUR’s TheArtery | Theater Editor for DigBoston | film and music critic for EDGE Media | Boston Theater Critics Association.

    This author does not have any more posts.

Filed Under: A+E, Performing Arts Tagged With: Central Square Theater, Christopher Hampton, Dan Whelton, Eddie Shields, Elizabeth Rocha, Greg Maraio, James Wechsler, Janie E Howland, John R Malinowski, John Tracey, Laura Neill, Lee Mikeska Gardner, Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Nora Theatre Company, OperaHub, Stewart Evan Smith

WHAT’S NEW

State Wire: Mass Launches Free Legal Advice Hotline Regarding Abortion Care

State Wire: Mass Launches Free Legal Advice Hotline Regarding Abortion Care

State Wire: Mass Bill Would Tighten Restrictions On Facial Recognition Technology

State Wire: Mass Bill Would Tighten Restrictions On Facial Recognition Technology

Mass Higher Ed Advocates Urge More Investment In Students 

Mass Higher Ed Advocates Urge More Investment In Students 

Guest Opinion: Promoting Metal Detectors In BPS Perpetuates Dangerous Narrative

Guest Opinion: Promoting Metal Detectors In BPS Perpetuates Dangerous Narrative

State Wire: Mass Leads Nation In 'Green' Building Development

State Wire: Mass Leads Nation In ‘Green’ Building Development

State Wire: Mass Advocates Of Higher Ed Set Goals For Fair Share Revenue

State Wire: Mass Advocates Of Higher Ed Set Goals For Fair Share Revenue

Primary Sidebar

LOCAL EVENTS

AAN Wire


Most Popular

  • Think Massachusetts Cannabis Prices Are Low Now? Just Wait Six Months!
  • Why Are Cannabis Prices Really Crashing?
  • A New Beginning For Formerly Incarcerated Women
  • Jerrod Carmichael Has First Show After Coming Out—At the Wilbur In Boston
  • Dig This: Thousands Of Furries Flocking To Anthro New England 

Footer

Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Advertise

Customer Service

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an email blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: sales@digboston.com To reach editorial (and for inquiries about internship opportunities): editorial@digboston.com