BWW Reviews: RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN at Round House Theatre Proves to Be Winner

Upon reading the plot synopsis for Rapture, Blister, Burn, the latest offering by Gina Gionfriddo playing at Round House Theatre, it's plausible that one might react with a groan and say, "again?" Certainly, the Pulitzer Prize finalist play covers an array of topics that have been the focus of many a work that has come before it. For instance, the topic of whether women can have it all (career, family, both), the history of the women's rights and feminist movements in America, the individual and collective evolution of American women's attitudes on relationships (marital, sexual, and otherwise) in the context of broader societal changes, and other gender-related ideas have been well covered by playwrights like Wendy Wasserstein and more. To judge the play and whether it offers something new or exciting simply by reviewing the plot synopsis would be - in this case - fundamentally wrong.

So, what sets Gionfriddo's work apart? I can identify at least three things. At its core, the play involves four women of three different generations - all with different priorities and life experiences - coming to terms with what they want and what they must do to attain it. For one reason or another, they must come to terms with what they've done - and for most - use that as a basis to identify where they should go in the future. Their undoubtedly challenging struggle to figure out "who I am and what I want to do" is cast with a gender-focused lens to some extent, but not completely. The interpersonal, familial, and work-oriented issues they are dealing with are inherently complex and a single issue focus is not warranted and thankfully not used. To that end, Rapture, Blister, Burn doesn't come off as one of those plays that suggest gender alone fundamentally influences who we are, how we act, and what we want. Additionally, Gionfriddo's work mainly involves frank conversations between four women in an academic seminar setting applying feminist theories to understand real world scenarios and is clearly the result of serious study of the major academic players in that field of study. Yet, the end result is not an academic play. It's not a sitcom either. Instead it's something that's in between the two - and delightfully smart, relevant, and entertaining to boot. Finally, through the course of the women's conversations and other interactions with one another, Gionfriddo covers an impressive array of gender-related topics, expressing multiple viewpoints without any agenda at play. In the hands of a lesser playwright, the end result could be a muddled mess and perhaps give way to a deserved impression that the play lacked focus. Instead, the articulate work is an example of smart storytelling interwoven with a solid - and in some cases a quite nuanced - treatment of an array of sociological concepts (this reviewer, with undergraduate and graduate coursework in the social sciences, thanks the playwright profusely for not simplifying concepts too much or spouting ideas found in any textbook for a 101 level sociology course in a haphazard way).

At Round House Theatre, all that is exceedingly good about Gionfriddo's play "on paper" is leveraged in the best way possible for this production, and made even "better" by exceptional acting, direction, and production values. I'd even go as far to say that it's one of the best executed productions I've seen in the area in recent years.

When we meet Catherine Croll (Michelle Six, previously seen in Round House's production of Gionfriddo's other play, Becky Shaw), a 40-something accomplished academic with mainstream appeal, she's undergoing a life shift. Catherine's mother Alice (Helen Hedman, showing her knack for comedy and drama) just had a heart attack and she's decided to return from New York to her hometown to take care of her beloved parent. While in the area, she plans to teach at a local, undistinguished liberal arts school - a perhaps welcomed change of pace. Friends from her long past grad school days - stay-at-home mom/ grad school dropout Gwen Harper (Beth Hylton) and her husband Don (Tim Getman, continuing his trend of strong performances in contemporary plays) - help her get that position though they've been out of touch for some time. Don is Catherine's ex-lover and to say they have a complicated past would be an understatement. Her mother's illness and her reconnection with Don/Gwen compel her to think more about what she wants in life and question her decision to have a career over having a family.

To occupy her summer ahead of the fall term, she teaches a seminar based on the books she's written, which apply feminist theories to a hodgepodge of issues, events, and entertainment offerings. Her students? They would be Gwen and the Harper's outspoken, 20-something ex-babysitter and local college student, Avery (Maggie Erwin). The group meets on a weekly basis at Alice's middle class home (appropriately-designed by Daniel Conway and lit by Andrew Cissna). Alice, mostly on drink-making duty, joins in on the discussions as interested, offering the perspective of someone who lived through some of the initial moments in the women's rights movement. Secrets and jealousies are revealed in the discussions (particularly for Gwen and Catherine) and the students/teacher both are compelled to make changes in their lives and how they set their priorities, some of which have profound impacts for themselves and others (Matthew M. Nielson's sound design/compositions assist in conveying the intensity of the situations the women face).

As played by Six, Hylton, and Erwin - the actresses playing the characters with the greatest number of choices/decisions - one can immediately grasp the conflicts each of the women are facing in setting priorities for their lives, including in the relationship realm. Their ages, as well as career and relationship statuses, clearly inform every move they make as well as how they approach the discussions in the seminar. Indeed, Director Shirley Serotsky - who gives us a wonderfully well-paced and swiftly moving production - and the actresses do well to convey the idea that the challenges the women face and how they approach them are influenced by their individual personalities but also circumstances (housewife by choice vs. academic by choice, for example) in a very real way. Dressed in attire that reflects their individual identities (Debra Kim Svigny) they - along with Hedman whose character serves a different purpose - offer engaging and energetic performances from start to finish.

Six, for example, is supremely confident when necessary and an emotional immature mess when necessary, showing that she may have it all together intellectually, but practical life matters are a different ballgame. Hylton serves as a nice contrast. Erwin, however - perhaps because her character has the most one line zingers - makes the greatest impression. Her caustic attitude and portrayal of a young adult that knows so much yet knows so little is profoundly realistic, perceptive, and engaging. So too, I might add, is this provocative play and Round House's production of it.

Running Time: 2 hours and 25 minutes with one intermission.

"Rapture, Blister, Burn" plays at Round House Theatre - 4545 East-West Highway in Bethesda, MD - through February 22, 2015. See the Round House website for ticket information: http://www.roundhousetheatre.org/performances/rapture-blister-burn/

Pictured: Michelle Six (Catherine Croll), Helen Hedman (Alice Croll), and Maggie Erwin (Avery Willard) in Round House Theatre's current production of "Rapture, Blister, Burn". Photo by Danisha Crosby.

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