Theatre Review: The Cake Is An Easy Bake At MTC
In 90 minutes, The Cake baked one of the freshest approaches to the daily injustices the LGBTQ must face: even from their own family. Though religion preaches to unconditional love, history has shown that even its most devout followers have conditions. How the same thing that teaches us humanity can cut it off is an irony that cannot be denied in this script written by Bekah Brunstetter.
Directed by Lynnne Meadow, The Cake is an easy-bake. It is brisk in writing and direction; fluidly flowing into scenes thanks to the gorgeous set by John Lee Beatty. Their union builds the platform for both a charming and gut-wrenching performance by Debra Jo Rupp as Della: a North Carolina baker readying to do The Great American Baking Show and refusing to bake the wedding cake of her lesbian God-daughter, Genevieve Angelson’s Jen. Jo Rupp gives Della a quirky wit and an indomitable, moral compass that is tilted. Though she adores Jen like the daughter she could not have, she truly believes she is standing up for Jesus by refusing to bake her a cake.
Jo Rupp’s performance reveals new layers to the ignorance and hate tethered to those that refuse to treat the LGBTQ community as equals. Though Della believes she is defending her Lord, the truth is she is defending her fear. Together, with her husband Tim (Dan Daily), the return of Jen with her snarky, strong-willed fiancé, Macy (Marinda Anderson), pushes her to question why things are the ways they are in her life. She could not have kids, her husband does not sleep with her, and she fears being too “classic” for her oncoming, reality baking show. It is clear from the beginning that Della does not like “change,” and her and Tim believe rules make the world safe and righteous . Yet, do not realize that when “the rules” are against your existence then there is no such thing as righteous or safe. Still, the couple clutch onto their self-image of humble and honorable compared to “vegan, liberal” living.
To Della and Tim, even healthier living is just the choice to be elitist, un-fun, and difficult. Yet, Della is tethered to old ways and does not want to doubt them for fear that questioning how things are leads to them disappearing. Yet, some ways need to go; it is how progress and happiness come forward. Though The Cake is witty as hell, throwing in punch-lines and one-liners that sprinkle with random, colorful humor, it really is a tragedy. For however much, Della focuses on how Jen is not living right, she does not feel like she has lived well. As the two grow to confront each other, Della wishes Jen would live more “right” while Jen wishes to live more happily.
“Right,” or the perception of it, versus happiness is at the core of homophobic arguments against the LGBTQ community with the belief that being your most loving, happiest self is null if that means being gay. This notion pervades through Jen and Macy’s relationship, and allows Angelson to give Jen an ingrained shame she should not have. When the ones you love deny and degrade you for who you are, it leaves a mark. To Jen, it is like an internal button that zaps you with shame every time you get closer to being happy in your true identity. Both Angelson and Jo Rupp give endearing performances filled with heart and understanding for how hate and love move within people. Add on a few laugh out loud scenes with mashed potatoes, and The Cake will make you think how society recipes happiness and morality for itself. The Cake plays until March 31at The Manhattan Theatre Club on 131 W. 55th St. Click Here To Buy Tickets.
