Phallacy: Sometimes a Statue is just a Statue

A statue of a naked young man, presumed to be a rare original Roman bronze, has been in the Antiquities section of a museum in Austria for many years.  When a chemist does a study showing that the nickel content of the bronze is much higher than seems likely for an original and presents the theory that it's actually a 16th century cast, tensions and egos flare between the chemist and the art historian who has made the study of the statue her life's work.  It is much to the credit of Carl Djerassi , the playwright of Phallacy, that he manages to make this story of possibly tedious academic infighting not only interesting but fully captivating.

Mr. Djerassi, who is famous less for his dramatic works than for inventing "the pill" and other achievements in the world of science, is a proponent of science-in-fiction, humanizing scientific topics through realistic fiction.  The play is similar in tone to plays such as Tom Stoppard's Arcadia or Carey Perloff's Luminescence Dating.  In Mr. Djerassi's capable hands, the conflict between science and art and truth and beauty has rarely been this engaging.  Or, indeed, funny.  I laughed aloud a few times.

He is ably assisted in this task by a solid cast.  Simon Jones is without a flaw as Dr. Rex Stolzfuss, the chemist who insists on uncovering the statue's true provenance through his field.  While clearly a dry academic, he never lets the character lose his sense of playfulness. 
Lisa Harrow, as Dr. Regina Leitner-Opferman (who divorced Opferman years ago, but keeps the name because she published her book that way) is appropriately less fun, though no less amusing.  All bristling ego, her spiny facade is pierced by her passion for the beautiful statue that she loves, and knows every inch of (except, perhaps, the penis).

Vince Nappo plays Dr. Otto Ellenbogen, the Puck to Stolzfuss' Oberon, with a wry and detached bemusement at these crazy academics he must work with.  Carrie Heitman is perfectly grounded and open as Emma Finger, a woman sent by the Museum to help the Doctor with her problems, and who is carrying on a romance with Otto behind their superiors' backs.

Video projections are frequently used to show the statue in question as well as set scenes, and several times, they are ingeniously cast directly upon the actors in a gorgeous piece of theatrical legerdemain.  Since the actors and set are largely dressed in pale earth tones, the saturated colors of the projections work beautifully, transforming the set and actors.

One thing only bugged me slightly, that the play is set in Austria and all the characters have overtly Germanic names, yet the two Doctors speak with British accents and the two assistants in Standard American.  Not really a problem, since it's perfectly acceptable in, say, Les Miz, for the French lower class to be Cockneys, but the convention niggled away at me a bit.

If you enjoy witty academic banter, philosophy or great art, this is the show for you.

Phallacy
Running May 18-June 10, 2007
Performance schedule: Tuesday-Saturday at 8PM;
Matinees Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 3pm
The Cherry Lane Theatre is located at 38 Commerce Street.
Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at www.telecharge.com or call (212) 239-6280.

There are talkbacks following the performances May 16th, 19th, and 20th.

 

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