October 21, 2005

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Palo Alto Online

A primer in sexual politics

by Jeanie Forte

Dated or daring? It may depend on where you've been for the last 25 years.

Dragon Productions isn't waiting around for its new theatre in downtown Palo Alto to be ready for business; it's staging the season opener -- "Cloud 9" by British playwright Caryl Churchill -- at the Pear Avenue Theatre in Mountain View. It's a collaboration with San Francisco-based Theatre Q, directed by Theatre Q artistic director Jeffrey Hoffman and featuring Dragon artistic director Meredith Hagedorn in the talented ensemble.

It's a provocative and challenging play, and mostly hangs together in Hoffman's staging. It was Churchill's landmark piece, the one that put her on the map as a world-class playwright more than 20 years ago, especially for its innovative casting and radical approach to sexual politics. Now, it hardly seems radical, although much of the political content still applies and is still a lot of fun to watch.

The laughs come fast and furious in the first half, set in Victorian colonial Africa at the estate of a regional overlord, Clive (Matthew Sloan). As the natives grow increasingly restless, Clive's enclave becomes safe haven for a widowed neighbor, Mrs. Saunders (Laura Jane Bailey), and an old friend, Harry (John T. Aney).

Clive's wife, Betty (played by Dale Albright, a man), is apparently smitten with Harry. Betty, however, is admired by her servant, Ellen (also Bailey). Clive has the hots for Mrs. Saunders, and... well, there's more, but I won't reveal all. None of the relationships are what they seem, and no one can be trusted to stay faithful to his or her stated ideals.

It's important that Betty is played by a man, because she strives to be the perfect woman to men and, in fact, dislikes women. Clive's "native boy," Joshua (Ryan Tasker), has so assimilated himself to white culture and religion that he must be played by a white actor, even though the character is black.

Clive's son, Edward (Hagedorn), is played by a woman, which illuminates the power of culture in the construction of gender -- the ways in which we are shaped by outside forces. He's an effeminate little boy who is reprimanded for crying and reproached for not being more manly.

The colonial setting challenges us to see the colonial oppression of our sexual identities in a patriarchal, conformist culture; the analogy is laid on rather blatantly, but with much humor. The characterizations are broad, the style almost slapstick.

Act Two lands us in present-day London, although it's only 25 years later to the characters. Casting is shuffled, so that everyone in Act One ends up playing a totally different character in Act Two. The effect is both intriguing and delightful, in part because the actors get to stretch and also because it once again challenges our preconceptions about identity and gender.

Act Two stumbles a bit, with characterizations that are less well developed, or overdone. The broad comedy of Act One has to segue into a more realistic style in this act, and some of the characters fail to make that transition. It feels a bit forced, and loses some of its potential humor. The exception is Tasker's Cathy, who is totally straightforward and absolutely real, and therefore quite funny indeed.

In this new situation, all the characters again explore their sexuality and gender confusion, with the added complexity of modern life dilemmas. Some of it feels dated now, as when a trio of characters drunkenly try to invoke the ancient goddesses. I also found Betty's monologue (delivered by Liz Barbour) a little wearying and dated.

Overall, the actors are enormously talented, and clearly enjoying the ribald humor they get to play. Ron Gasparinetti's set is simple but clever, with a surprising twist I can't reveal. I found the lighting, particularly in Act One, inexplicably dark; but electrical issues that night may have been the cause. The pace was too slow for my taste -- Churchill is clearly going for Brechtian styling in this piece, which requires speed to bring out the political contradictions.

Then again, I've seen the play more than once over the last 21 years; if you haven't, it might seem utterly fresh and surprising. Certainly there were people in the audience who were genuinely shocked (in a fun way) and in gales of laughter over some of the characters' antics.

In fact, if you haven't seen it, you'll want to give it a look: it's an important play for our time, and one that everyone should see at least once. You will definitely find it amusing.

What: "Cloud 9," a play by Caryl Churchill, presented by Dragon Productions and theatre Q

Where: At the Pear Avenue Theatre, 1220 Pear Ave., Unit K, Mountain View

When: Through Oct. 30, with 8 p.m. shows Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. matinees on Sundays

Cost: Tickets range from $10 to $20.

Info: Call (650) 493-2006 or go to www.dragonproductions.net.

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