Review: Margie Boule is Glorious as the Empress of Fashion in Triangle Productions' FULL GALLOP

I'm not that into fashion. In truth, we're barely on speaking terms. So, when I found out that Triangle Productions' first show of the season was FULL GALLOP, a one-woman show about tastemaker and fashion icon Diana Vreeland, I wasn't sure what to expect. On the one hand, I've greatly enjoyed past Triangle shows that profiled intriguing women. On the other hand, could I really sit through two hours of fashion?

But my apprehension was all a result of my own ignorance. As I soon found out, Vreeland wasn't just a noted columnist and editor for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue, she was a woman who exemplified my personal idea of good life, that is, one lived at "full gallop."

Vreeland was a fascinating woman who didn't believe in being constrained by reality. She preferred what she called "faction," a combination of fact and fiction that represented her approach to life, because "why not make a story more interesting?" She loved excess, the color red, and even bad taste. (One of her many quotables: "A little bad taste is like a nice splash of paprika. We all need a splash of bad taste-it's hearty, it's healthy, it's physical. I think we could use more of it. No taste is what I'm against.") Aside from no taste, the only thing she seemed to really be against was being boring.

The play opens soon after Vreeland was abruptly dismissed from her position as the editor-in-chief of Vogue. Nearing 70, she's just returned from a four-month trip abroad and is figuring out how to navigate her new situation.

The instant you walk in the theatre, you'll start to get a sense of Vreeland herself. For the set, Don Horn has created a pretty faithful (at least in spirit) reproduction of Vreeland's apartment. To get a full sense of what that means, check out the photos here. Definitely excessive. Definitely not boring.

And then Margie Boule comes on stage and you're hooked. I first saw Boule last year as Tallulah Bankhead in Triangle's production of LOOPED. She has a knack for playing fabulous, and fabulously quotable, women. One-person shows aren't easy to pull off, but I could have easily watched another two hours of FULL GALLOP if it had been offered. (Boule told me afterward she read six biographies of Vreeland to prepare for the role.)

If you like great performances and great stories, I highly recommend FULL GALLOP. It plays through October 8. More details and tickets here.

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