Review: Sock and Buskin's Fefu and Her Friends is all in the visual
Note from the Editors: A response by the cast of Fefu and Her Friends has been published on the Blognonian. To see the discussion, read the article here.
I think I might recommend seeing Fefu and Her Friends in another language.
Maria Irene Fornes’ seminal 1977 work of experimental theatre, directed for the TAPS Department by Sarah dAngelo, wouldn’t lose much if the language were unintelligible. And I know that because it doesn’t gain much when the language is intelligible. Fefu (Rhea Amin ‘21), the intrepid host of our day at a New England manor home, gathers seven of her closest female friends so they can prepare a speech about the importance of education (I think). And, at intervals, the women discuss and monologue on the subjects of dreams, love, men, and what it means to be free (I think). All this monologuing, as full of sound and fury as it is, tends to end up signifying nothing.
dAngelo strives mightily to make the piece cohere with graceful, often beautiful staging, and projections (by Alex Eisenberg) of a wide-eyed audience that clearly conjure up the male gaze. Sara Ossana’s Art Deco set is nothing short of gorgeous, and in combination with lighting from Jack Dermer ‘22, Fefu is a visual feast. dAngelo, whose smart direction makes the evening fly by, has underscored a good portion of the show, and intense ripples in light and sound would almost have us believe that, in fact, a narrative is building. But listen to the words again for only a second and you’re reminded that narrative is the furthest thing from Fornes’ mind. Fefu, at its core, is an academic exercise tightly coiled up in its own pretense.
Led by Amin, who storms around the stage with commanding presence, the cast commits itself with varying degrees of success to a flamboyant, Golden Age style. Emma (Madeleine Adriance ‘23) is the most indelible of the bunch, and Cecilia (Amelia Wyckoff ‘22) makes the most of her short arc with Paula (Paty Garza ‘20). But it’s hard to attach the label of “feminist” to a play in which most of the female characters are interchangeable and undifferentiable. When they’re buried in Ron Cesario’s increasingly overwhelming costumes, it’s hard to see the forest (Sophia Hernandez ‘20.5, Yurema Perez-Hinojosa ‘20, Mika Shevchenko ‘20, Jaden Schoenfeld ‘23) for the trees. The cast stays true to their posh accents and posher gestures, but Fornes is a miser in dispensing gratifying emotional moments, and the audience is left cold.
Which is why I recommended seeing Fefu in another language— you can take in the dazzling set, the poised actors, and the nifty projections, all without worrying about the abstruse dialogue. Come to think of it, this production of Fefu may already be in another language— that of self-sufficient academia. dAngelo and her cast make a really valiant attempt at translating, but I walked out feeling far from fluent.
Disclaimer: Although this article was published by the Blognonian, the views represented in this piece do not reflect the views of the Blognonian as an organization.
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