Abreact Performance Space Closing Night: February 26: 8pm
Tickets: Free but Donations Welcome
Cast (Order of Appearance)
Caroline Price: The Prostitute, The Young Wife and The Actress Stephen Blackwell: The Soldier, The Husband and The Count Kristen Knisley: The Maid, The Sweet Young Thing Martin Turner Shelton: The Young Master, The Poet
Last night, after venturing into Corktown, Detroit’s historic Irish district filled with great food and great buildings, I arrived at The Abreact Performance Space inside the Lafayette Lofts on the corner of West Lafayette and Brooklyn. I was there early to speak with the powers that be about a one act regarding alcoholic misanthropes as well as to make sure I scored a prime seat (I did, in the front row) for the night’s show: La Ronde: Arthur Schnitzler’s controversial play about sex that was initially banned in Germany, but hailed by Sigmund Freud and which eventually found major followings in the United Kingdom and, not surprisingly, France. The house filled up quickly and a few minutes before the play started, it had reached capacity as The Abreact rushed to accommodate those who had made reservations prior to the performance.
After everything had been taken care of, the lights began to dim and a card on the mantle of a fireplace alerted us that the first (of ten) dialogues would be between the prostitute and the soldier and I was swept away into early 20th century Vienna (well, with British accents). The prostitute tried to pick up the soldier who gruffly and forcefully told her that not only did he have no money, but that he had to get back to barracks. They joked around for a bit before heading down to a secluded area to have sex since the soldier refused to go to the prostitute’s apartment. The house went black as the characters simulated sex, the lights raising again to showcase them half dressed and the prostitute trying to get money out of the soldier, despite having offered her services to him free of charge.
The rest of the show went through this general formula amongst different social classes to showcase how what we want out of love and sex is exactly the same, even if the way we deal with it is different and also reaffirmed the notion that everyone sleeps with everyone. To make a long story short:
The Prostitute slept with The Soldier
The Soldier slept with The Maid
The Maid with the Young Master
The Young Master with The Young Wife
The Young Wife with her Husband
The Husband with the Sweet Young Thing
The Sweet Young Thing with The Poet
The Poet with The Actress
The Actress with The Count
and, finally, to complete the circle, The Count with The Prostitute.
I, and the rest of the audience, spent the two hours (excluding the intermission wherein we all grabbed either cans of PBR or a glass of wine from the kitchen which were also free (everyone donated a couple bucks to offset costs, however)) in uproarious laughter as people teased, snarled and made outrageous noises and comments during sex (my favorite was the monotone “Oh, cricket. Oh, cricket” during the Poet/Actress scene). The show was a triumph, and, while the entire cast was sublime, the strongest was Matthew Shelton as The Young Master trust fund kid who seduced The Maid and The Young Wife (despite both of their protestations. I’d say that it could be seriously considered that some of the characters in the show were raped) and as The Poet/Playwright Robert/Biebitz who lived in squalor while seducing The Sweet Young Thing and The Actress who wouldn’t shut up about an ex-lover named Fritz. His anger at The Maid for falling in love with him during sex, at The Young Wife for teasing him when he couldn’t maintain an erection and his shock that The Sweet Young thing had no idea who Biebitz was felt like some of the most authentic dialogue in a piece filled with incredibly believable words. The sets were spartan, but the space was small and they worked with the vibe of the show.
Overall, I haven’t a bad word to say, which is odd. It’s just a well-written, well acted piece and I urge you to see it. If however, you miss the final performance tonight or live outside of the Detroit area, the French filmed a well-received version of La Ronde in 1950. I haven’t seen it, but, if it sticks close to the script, it should be pretty quality.
The Abreact Performance Space is located at 1301 W. Lafayette Street at Brooklyn. Performances start at 8 with doors opening at 730. The Abreact will begin a production of Waiting For Godot on April 15, which will also star Stephen Blackwell. Tickets, as mentioned, are free, but The Abreact is funded solely by donation. Arrive early! If you decide to get a bite before the show, I highly recommend going to Mudgie’s Deli on Porter and Brooklyn, three blocks north of The Abreact. It’s my favorite place to get sandwiches in Detroit. Go there. Seriously.
