Mary Stuart

Postcard Review by Caroline Russell-King

Show – Mary Stuart

Playwright – Dacia Maraini, from the Friedrick Schiller (1799) translated by Christopher Pearcy with Nicolette Kay.

Production Company/Theatre space – (professional) Sage Theatre, Motel, Arts Commons.

Length – 1 ACT (1 hour, 25 minutes, no intermission.)

Genre - Drama

Premise – Mary Queen of Scots’ and Queen Elizabeth’s, while they never met, stories intertwine to show the battles both faced being women in difficult times with men and mores that threaten their very existence.

Why this play? Why now? – Plays about royalty (Richard the III, Casey & Diana, King Charles…)  captivate societies where monarchs play roles that overshadow celebrities and politicians. Also 2 handers are nimble financially.  

Curiosities – Why does the title only refence one queen when it is about two? Staging the show in alley means that we get to see each other’s faces - do others realize that their expressions from intensity to boredom create a backdrop for the players? If I worry about a performer in a fight scene does that mean it’s done its job? Why does this feel like a Handsome Alice show?

Notable Moment – The penis monologue is a fun counterpart to some of the heavier subject matter.

Notable writing – The biggest barrier to enjoying this production, the script. Written by a German playwright, poet, philosopher, and historian in 1799 it was translated into Italian by Maraini who was interred in a Japanese Concentration camp in 1943. The rage and frustration of that experience no doubt informed the writing of Mary Stuart who is imprisoned in the Tower of London. Maraini was a finalist for the Booker and a nominee for the Pulitzer, undoubtedly an accomplished writer. Her work was then translated into English by Pearcy with help from Kay. Maybe this is where things go awry. I have a British heritage and a smattering of history, and I struggled to get inside the story and have clarity on the events. History buffs will no doubt get more out of this than the average viewer.

Notable performances – Award winning actors Lauren Brotman and Norma Lewis play both queens, their Lady-in-waiting, and other male characters. Brothman gives a solid performance as the sometimes angry, sometimes stoic queen bound for the gallows. Lewis captivates as Elizabeth the queen defying pressures to produce an heir.

Notable design/Production – The costume design by Tonisha Kroeger was modern and uninspiring. The electric stylized set design by Natalia Cortes and the crisp lighting design by Tauran were the opposite, really helping amp the atmospherics and giving the show a polished look.

Notable direction – The play isn’t directed any kind of historic authenticity but rather an artistic interpretation of events – which is what theatre allows. Javier Vilalta directs the show like he’s choreographing a dance. He keeps things interesting by invoking stylized imagery, mirror images, motion, height, and illusions to status.

One reason to see this show – To counterbalance all of the stories we see where women are just adjuncts to powerful men in British royal history.