Review: THE STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUDENCIA HART at Artists Rep

Holiday shows have begun, and the offering at ART
Is THE STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUDENCIA HART,
A captivating tale of one Prudencia,
A young member of the Scottish intelligentsia.

A scholar of ballads and the topology of hell,
She attends a conference that doesn't go well.
She and her rival end up in a pub
Who's midwinter bacchanal she decides to snub.

But not before getting properly sauced.
Looking for a B&B, she soon finds herself lost.
She meets a man who invites her in
And accepts because she's had too much gin.

(And if you haven't figured out by this time,
The play unfolds almost entirely in rhyme.
Don't let that scare you, David Greig is much more clever
Than I when matching up sounds by the letter.)

The man turns out to be more than he seems,
And the play quickly enters the realm of dreams.
A fable based on the tale of Tam Lin,
It's here where Prudencia's real journey begins.

A myth, a romance, a dance with the devil,
The play explores the nature of evil.
Is it cruelty? Malice? Or maybe it's only
The real torture of hell is just being lonely.

The play itself is funny and creative,
But ART's production is what's truly innovative.
An immersive pub night, with a Scottish meal to boot,
The whole evening is nothing short of a hoot.

Amy Newman is brilliant in the titular role,
Every facial expression revealing her soul.
Darius Pierce plays the mysterious stranger
So vulnerably you wonder who's really in danger.

Eric Little shines as Colin Syme,
Prudencia's rival who shows up just in time.
There's also a chorus with familiar and new faces,
And the Katie Jane band, so the music is aces.

The direction is visionary, the staging inspired.
Audience participation is encouraged, but not required.
Get your tickets now, and if you still need a reason,
This isn't just a play but the event of the season.

THE STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUDENCIA HART runs at the Tiffany Center through January 5. It's an interesting play. It's a long play. It's a strange play. Enjoy. More details and tickets here.

Photo credit: Kathleen Kelly