Theatre Review: The Maid’s Tragedy Shows The Depression of Power
Photography By Carol Julien
SYNOPSIS: Traditionally portrayed as a male soldier returning home from war, Melantius discovers the King has arranged a marriage between his social-climbing sister Evadne and his best friend Amintor – a power move to protect the King’s personal interests, which in hand also destroys Amintor’s engagement to his long-time love, Aspatia. Pocket Universe’s production reimagines the tragedy as a story of two sisters in present-day Hollywood – a now-female Melantius, film producer, and Evadne, actress – whose different attitudes about sex, fame, and honor collide in the wake of their studio-king’s misconduct. Careers are jeopardized and lives are threatened, as everyone contends with one question: when the person in power robs you of yours, how far will you go to get it back?
What happens when men order women around? Sure, they may fulfill the orders, but do they fulfill themselves? Change the versus between rich and poor, king and soldier, or even siblings, and you will find that the power struggles between are always the challenges to their personal empowerment. Presented by Pocket Universe, in The Maid’s Tragedy, everyone is struggling for power, and, thus, slowly declining into their madness.
If there is one word that could describe The Access Theater play, it is chaos. From the beginning, characters/ actors bombard the marbled dance floor with feelings, tensions, and high stakes game of who will outsmart who. The irony is that the play, written in 1611 by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, takes place during a wedding. Nobody should be “outsmarting” anyone. This is supposed to be the happiest time from Amintor (played with bubbling rage by Greg Carere) and Evadne (played with a vulnerable duplicity by Alyssa May Gold). Yet, when you are marrying according to power lines, joy does not seem like an option.
What most struck me about The Maid’s Tragedy, was how director Lucy Gram played this, technically, ancient play for its timeless message: power and happiness are not bound. Sydney Battle’s Aspatia waltzes the floor with a billowing depression that turns her into the bitterest, dark cloud. After all, she was set to marry Amintor, but was ousted because, whether back then or even now, marriage can be a social arrangement more than a spiritual one. Michael Thatcher’s King may be “the leader”, but everyone hates him, and it seems like every person in his court plots his death, at least once, while he happily presumes he’ll never lose control. The one that seems the “sanest” is Erin Roche’s Melantius.
Traditionally played by a man, Roche’s transformation at Melantius is momentous because it did not change anything. Everything felt the same in terms of this character; proving a heart has no gender. Roche carries her character with a calm that helps simmer through the boiling tensions of surrounding characters. She feels still as she looks into eyes’ of audience members undecided on whether she can prevent or, at least, not join in on the disintegration of surrounding minds. Playing multiple characters Aleca Piper takes the energy of the room, through seesawing plots and passivity, helping us understand why everyone hates each other, themselves, and the King. Audiences will cling to Roche and Piper as the sort of actoral “temperatures” for when we know a new plot begins and another has been averted in The Maid’s Tragedy. After all, this story changes stories, which may cause confusion to audience goers.
Overall, The Maid’s Tragedy is a particular play. It is not for every theater lover, especially because of the density and pacing of its language. Throughout history, The Maid’s Tragedy has torn critics between absolute, blinding praise and complete confusion and indifference. It will do the same for its audience, but, at least, is has a strong cast of actors to make you bask in talent. The Maid’s Tragedy in Access Theater till June 30. Buy Tickets Here.
Location: 380 Broadway, New York, NY 10013
2 hours no intermission
