Review: THREESOME at Apollinaire Theatre Company Pulls No Punches

Threesome

Written by Youssef El Guindi, Directed by Danielle Fauteux Jacques; Dramaturg, Salma Abu Ayyash; Stage Manager, Benjamin Baylon; ASM, Erin Lerch; Costume Design, Susan Paino; Sound Design, David Reiffel; Sets/TD, Aryn Colonero; Dialect Coach, Christopher Sherwood Davis

CAST (in order of appearance): Alison Meirowitz McCarthy, Mauro Canepa, Geoff Van Wyck

Performances through May 7 at Apollinaire Theatre Company, Chelsea Theatre Works, 189 Winnisimmet Street, Chelsea, MA; Box Office 617-887-2336 or www.apollinairetheatre.com

Remember those old Certs commercials that featured two people arguing that "Certs is a breath mint" and "Certs is a candy mint," until the voiceover interrupted to tell them they were both right? Well, Threesome at Apolinnaire Theatre Company in Chelsea is a comedy, or maybe it's a drama, but it depends on which act you're describing. The bottom line is that Youssef El Guindi's play is powerful and provocative, bombarding us with a multi-layered story that blends the personal and the political, as well as comedy and drama. Artistic Director Danielle Fauteux Jacques pulls no punches and spurs her trio of actors to bravely deliver raw performances.

Threesome starts with the comedy that arises from an awkward sexual situation as Leila (Alison Meirowitz McCarthy) and Rashid (Mauro Canepa), a heterosexual Egyptian-American couple, have invited Doug (Geoff Van Wyck), a virtual stranger, into their bed. Prior to his arrival, the couple discusses body issues, and debates whether or not girls have it tougher than boys when it comes to body shaming, vanity, and the like. Their conversation stops abruptly when Doug bounds into the room in the nude, raring to get this party started. Leila takes a lot of time to "frame" the situation and lay down ground rules, while Rashid's discomfort is evident and increasing by the minute. Although he is a congenial fellow, Doug's frustration with the tension between them grows and his own issues start to surface.

It becomes clear that Leila is ambivalent about the venture, but she needs to be the decision maker as she works to reclaim her body in the aftermath of a sexual assault. When she and Rashid journeyed to Egypt during the Arab Spring, she was raped by a group of police and bears deep emotional scars. There is also an allegation that Rashid cheated on her, adding to the fallout of the attack, so it feels like there is an element of revenge inherent in her desire for the three-way. Despite his denial that anything happened, Rashid has reluctantly agreed to play the cuckold, but it is a very tenuous commitment, the strength of which is tested by his almost instant dislike of Doug. What starts as an innovative attempt to resolve their relationship issues evolves into a mélange of accusations, misdirected anger, bad feelings, and cold pizza.

The scene is reset for the second act, transforming a contemporary, urban bedroom into a photography studio with Middle Eastern decor (set design, Aryn Colonero). Leila has written a book about her experiences in Egypt and the publisher wants the cover to depict the world she describes, regardless of how the author feels about it. With exotic music playing in the background (sound design, David Reiffel), it takes a team of stagehands the entire intermission to decorate the set, laying numerous oriental rugs on the floor, draping colorful printed fabrics over tables and hassocks, and strategically placing cultural props around the room to achieve the desired effect. The most chilling sight is the black burka hanging on the upstage wall, and Leila has a visceral reaction when she sees it.

Whatever humor and lightness there was in the first act, none of it remains in act two. The photographer takes command in his domain, using his power and position to force Leila into compliance with his ideas about shooting the cover. Her struggle is not only in the moment, but influenced by flashbacks to her powerlessness when she was the victim. The photo session brings up many issues for both parties, but the sexism and misogyny represented in this scene are disturbing. To provide any more specific details would result in spoiling the impact, but the actors do tremendous work, especially McCarthy when she is left alone on stage in the final moments of the play. Her pain is palpable, but so is her resolve.

After experiencing the powerful impact of Threesome, the audience (and the actors) needs a moment to breathe and reflect on what just happened onstage. In Apollinaire's intimate space, we have been immersed in the world of the play, seeing the actors sweat and feeling their physical reactions to the emotional stimuli that El Guindi aims at their characters. As we sit in the silence before the applause, it is possible to recognize a flicker of hope in the darkness.

Photo credit: Danielle Fauteux Jacques (Alison Meirowitz McCarthy)

To post a comment, you must register and login.