BWW Reviews: Play Within A Play, VENUS IN FUR Blurs The Lines Of Reality As The Sexes Struggle For Power

Sunday 14th June 2015, Eternity Playhouse, Darlinghurst

The comedy, sexuality, power struggle and mystery of David Ives' VENUS IN FUR thrills audiences at Eternity Playhouse. Grace Barnes' (Director) new treatment of the work that originally stunned Broadway and won numerous awards and nominations in America is kept simple, allowing Ives' clever script to be showcased.

Production Designer Mel Page has kept the open space of Eternity Playhouse simple, without any fabricated backdrop, standard for works in this venue, instead, only a curtain hiding the rear wall. Made to appear as a rehearsal space with a covered chaise lounge, dance barre, trestle table with the writer/director's accoutrements and another with a coffee pot and paper cups, everything is basic. Jessica James-Moody's lighting design and Sian James-Holland's lighting serve to intensify the mood as the thunderstorm outside intensifies during the progress of the night, from rumbles of thunder to overhead bursts, causing lights to flicker.

Gareth Reeves plays the director and playwright Thomas Novachek, who has adapted Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's book, Venus In Furs. As he talks on the phone after a day of auditioning women for the leading role of Wanda von Dunajew, his character as a man with a superiority complex who views the women that have appeared before him as silly girls that don't know how to be a woman, presenting as either "hookers or dykes" rather than mature women that women in their 20's would have been at the time the original work was set. Last minute hopeful, Vanda Jordan (Anna Houston), at first glance appears to be the stereotype that Novachek has painted as she arrives flustered and lacking in confidence with a broad suburban accent, shucking her overcoat to reveal slutty leather outfit complete with dog-collar, what she deemed appropriate for what she believed was a play about sex and dominance and submissive S&M behaviors.

Reeves and Houston capture the contrast between the playwright that sees himself as educated and above the apparently ditzy and dimwitted actress, then easily slip into the characters of Novachek's play where Wanda von Dunajew has more power over the love sick Severin von Kusiemski as Novachek agrees to let Vanda audition. Utilizing vocal and postural changes, it is clear to see when they are themselves and when they inhabit Wanda and Severing, an important differentiation as the play progresses as the changes between the 'reality' and the 'audition' become less defined as Vanda repeatedly interrupts the 'audition' with questions and observations as she appears to want to understand the work based on the writer's intent, not just an actress' interpretation, making Novachek think deeper about his script and intention. As the two work together to sketch out the works, going beyond the original 3 page audition, the lines blur and Vanda's understanding of the work and intelligence makes Novacheck suspicious. Houston presents Vanda with passion and purpose, often only partly clad, again blurring the lines between Novachek's view that the story is about love and Vanda's that the work is about a S&M relationship.

Blended with humorous observations on society and interactions, the more serious questions of power between the sexes in relationships, equality, and preconceptions, VENUS IN FUR evolves to be a thriller as lines blur and "reality" and "imagination" cross over. Reeves and Houston do well in keeping the pace of this work moving and creating light and shade.

VENUS IN FUR

Eternity Playhouse, 39 Burton Street, Darlinghurst

Season 3 June - 5 July

Performance Times Tues - Sat 8pm, Sun 5pm,

Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes, no interval

Ticket Price Adult $45/ Conc & Groups $38/ Under 30 (Tue-Thu) & Previews

Bookings www.darlinghursttheatre.com or 02 8356 9987 (9.30am-5.30pm

Wed Matinee: 1 July 11am, Sat Matinees: 13, 29, 27 June & 4

July 3pm

$30

A $2 booking fee applies per ticket for online and phone bookings

weekdays)

Photos: Helen White

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