BWW Reviews: SCR Presents Tony-winning VENUS IN FUR
By: Don Grigware Oct. 15, 2014
Venus in Fur/by David Ives/directed by Casey Stangl/South Coast Rep (SCR)/Julianne Argyros Stage/through October 26
David Ives' fascinating two character play within a play Venus in Fur won a Best Actress Tony Award for Nina Arianda in 2012. It's no wonder as the role in theatrical size and scope is every actress's dream. Now onstage at SCR, Casey Stangl directs two first-rate actors in Ives' thoroughly engrossing, unpredictable story of degradation.
Like every playgoer, I like to be deceived and tricked from moment to moment: it keeps you alert, on the edge of your seat, eagerly awaiting what is to come. Well, the elements are here in Venus in Fur. Based on an 1870 novel Venus in Fur by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, two characters are pitted against one another in a masochistic duel. In fact, the novel is reputed to have inspired the term Masochism. At the top actress Vanda Jordan (Jaimi Paige) bolts into a New York audition room soaked to the skin. Due to a heavy rain, she is late to the audition for the role of Wanda - even her name sounds the same - in Thomas Novachek's (Graham Hamilton) play, which is based on the aforementioned novel. She is crude and brash like many of the actresses who have tried out for the role, and Novachek simply apologizes and tells her that she is too late. Not taking no for an answer, she claims that she has read a few pages on the subway ride there and starts to pull costume pieces and props from her bag, pleading with him to give her a chance to audition. When he finally gives in and she begins to read, her entire demeanor changes: her voice, mannerisms become that of the 19th century character and she proves herself the perfect actress for the role. Reluctantly, Novachek has agreed to read with her, as there are no actors present. Vanda begins to compliment him, telling him he is perfect for the role and should play it. She even pulls a jacket for him to wear from her bag, which she claims she bought in a thrift shop. It becomes obvious that Vanda has lied, that she knows the role inside out and is taking him for a ride, so-to-speak. She starts getting personal as she pries into his sex life and suggests that maybe he has written the play to fulfill his own fantasies. Eventually she tells him that his girlfriend, to whom he makes several cell phone calls to tell her he will be late, and she know each other from the gym and that the girlfriend has hired Vanda to seduce Thomas to see if he falls into her trap. Another lie? That piece of info is left to the viewer's discretion.
What is engaging about Ives' script is that from beat to beat the two characters play off of each other as if the scene were really happening. They become the characters; the characters become them. It gets increasingly difficult to separate reality from illusion. Of course, what transpires is a complete reversal of power. Instead of a director/playwright dominating the actress, it is the actress who becomes the dominatrix, manipulating the scenario. Wanda subjugates Severin, the male character, just as Vanda takes control - body and soul - of Thomas Novachek. For a while, we are even seduced into thinking that the two characters may be falling in love.
Under Casey Stangl's expert guidance as director, allowing the actors a lot of room to breathe, Hamilton and Paige dig into the piece with relish and literally devour it. She especially has a field day with Vanda/Wanda, who becomes the goddess Aphrodite at play's end in complete female dominance over the man.
Keith Mitchell's scenic design of the room which appears to be a large warehouse attic is spot.on riveting with a deluge of a rainstorm with thunder and lightning thrashing against the huge attic window. David Kay Mickelsen's costumes are tantalizing, especially the sexy skimpy leather apparel for Vanda.
Whether you interpret it as a reversal of power, or an actress's revenge against a director/writer or a pure sexual fantasy come to life, Venus in Fur is degradation that is delectably appealing, totally theatrical and thoroughly entertaining theatre.
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