Arts & Entertainment
Tone balancing
Screen-to-stage adaptation is multi-media delight
The cast of Kneehigh’s U.S. tour of ‘Brief Encounters’ by Jim Cox. (Photo courtesy STC)
‘Brief Encounter’
Through April 13
Shakespeare Theatre Company
The Lansburgh Theatre
450 7th Street, NW
$30-75
202-547-1122
Conventional wisdom says don’t mess with a classic. Typically the result is a letdown. But there are exceptions. Case in point is the UK-based Kneehigh Theatre’s delightful production of “Brief Encounter,” an adaptation of the same-named 1945 British film.
In bringing the iconic screen romance to the stage, director/playwright Emma Rice blends theater and film incorporating projections, musical numbers and myriad clever touches, all now on display at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Lansburgh Theatre.
The David Lean film is based on Noël Coward’s “Still Life,” one of many plays the gay sophisticate wrote and performed with longtime pal Gertrude Lawrence. It follows the short-lived romance of two married people who meet cute at a train station when Alec, a handsome doctor, removes a cinder from housewife Laura’s eye. The pair begin meeting weekly, mostly in the station tearoom or restaurants, and though their feelings are intense, their relationship remains chaste, never going beyond a kiss. And while the inevitable return to their respective respectable lives and practical mates happens as expected, it’s still a painful outcome. Rice’s adaptation draws from the film and the play.
The action kicks off in the Lansburgh lobby with a zippy string quartet of cast members dressed as ‘40s movie theater ushers performing a selection of vintage tunes. Inside, the stage’s usual curtain has been swapped out for one that’s brighter and redder, reminiscent of those found in old movie palaces. There’s a big movie screen that plays black-and-white footage, a nod to the source film and an exploration of the protagonists’ experience. When not on stage, Alec (Jim Sturgeon) and Laura (Hannah Yelland in her Tony-nominated role from when the show ran on Broadway in 2010) can sometimes be found seated amongst the audience; after all, their first date was a trip to the cinema. They also may slip through a slit in the movie screen only to reappear as bigger-than-life projections.
While meeting in public, the pair is reserved. Their muted passion is represented by film of fast moving clouds and raging tides. As the romantic tension mounts, Laura begins to grapple with doing the right thing. It’s she who suggests they part ways.
Director Emma Rice’s precise and inventive staging is wondrous, the cast is superb and her team’s spectacular technical, multi-media design is top notch. Neil Murray’s set is ingeniously serviceable and his period costumes are impeccably drawn. As the besotted but staid lovers, Yelland and Sturgeon play it straight, never mocking the necessarily formal dialogue. But the supporting ensemble has no such restraints. They’re free to camp it up and play for laughs, and they do, expertly. It’s an effective balance.
The tearoom’s other regulars are its manager Myrtle (Annette McLauglin), an amusingly genteel type whose breaks are spent trysting with the amorous station manager Fred (Joe Alessi); and Beryl (Dorothy Atkinson), a cheeky waitress who is dating the cute young station snack seller, Stanley (Damon Daunno). The cast play multiple parts and along with Dave Brown and James Gow, they also sing and play instruments. Songs include Coward’s “Mad About the Boy,” “A Room with a View,” and melodic original music.
The music is put to especially good effect with another Coward song, “Go Slow, Johnny” sung poignantly by Daunno during a key scene in which the Alec and Laura are alone drying off after having fallen out of a rowboat.
Most of the play takes place in the train station. Not surprisingly, there’s a moment when it seems that Laura might throw herself on the tracks and end it all. But no, she’s too sensible for that. Instead, she returns home (two leather club chairs and a big radio) where her patient husband (Alessi, again) and young son and daughter (a pair of life-sized puppets) are waiting.
“Brief Encounter” is part of the really terrific STC Presentation whose mission is to present world class international productions to D.C. audiences. This memorable production is a testament to both the vibrancy of theater and Coward’s enduring genius.
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center is marking a milestone year in its new home with a vibrant birthday celebration, inviting the community, allies, and media to join the festivities on Saturday, April 25 at 1 p.m.
Since opening its doors in Shaw, The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center has become a hub of support, advocacy, and celebration for LGBTQ+ residents across the District.
The birthday bash promises a day of programming including Yoga (Center Wellness), Micro Bouquet Making (Center Social), Zine Making (Center Arts), and so much more. Guests can also enjoy tours of the Center’s expanded facilities, showcasing spaces for programs, services, and community events.
Since relocating, the Center has expanded its programs, providing critical services. The birthday bash underscores the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center’s commitment to creating an inclusive space where everyone regardless of identity, age, or background can find community and empowerment.
For more details, contact Paul Marengo at 202-705-2890.
Friday, April 24
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Lesbian Visibility Week will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. There will be a special screening of “Ahead of the Curve.” Enjoy an evening of film, conversation, and community, with cocktails and beverages available throughout the night For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].
Saturday, April 25
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Sunday, April 26
Nellie’s Sports Bar will host “Nellie’s DC Drag Brunch” at 12 p.m. Join Sapphire Blue, Deja Diamond and their team of drag performers for the most fun you’ll have all weekend. Tickets start at $58.51 and are available on Eventbrite.
LGBTQ+ Community Coffee and Conversation will be at 12 p.m. at As You Are. This event is for people looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ community. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, April 27
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.
Tuesday, April 28
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Candlelight Vigil” at 6:30 p.m. This is a vigil centered on reflection, support, and collective care. Attendees are encouraged to gather at 6:30 p.m., with the program beginning promptly at 7 p.m. and concluding by 8 p.m. The event will take place on the closed-off Wiltberger Street, providing a dedicated and intimate space for remembrance. Electronic candle lights will be available to participants. For those seeking additional support or who have questions ahead of the event, please contact [email protected].
Wednesday, April 29
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Movement for Healing” at 3 p.m. This trauma- and yoga therapy–informed class is designed to help guests gently reconnect with their body and their breath. Through mindful movement, somatic awareness, and grounding practices, guests will explore how to release tension, increase mobility, and cultivate a deeper sense of safety and ease within. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Thursday, April 30
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
a&e features
Memorial for groundbreaking bisexual activist set for May 2
Loraine Hutchins remembered as a ‘force of nature’
The Montgomery County Pride Center will host a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Loraine Hutchins, Ph.D., on May 2. People are invited to attend the onsite memorial or a livestream event. The on-site event will begin at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet mixer before moving into a memorial service around the theme “Loraine a Force of Nature!” at 11 a.m., a panel talk at 12 p.m., break out sessions for artists, academics, and activists to build on her legacy at 1 p.m. and a closing reception at 2 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to register for the on-site memorial gathering or the livestreamed memorial. The goal of this event is also to collect stories and memories of Loraine. Attendees and others can share their stories at padlet.com.
An obituary for Hutchins was published in the Bladelast Nov. 24, where people can learn more about her activism in the bisexual community. A private service for friends and family was held in December but this memorial service is open to all.
Alongside her groundbreaking work organizing for U.S. bisexual rights and liberation including co-editing “Bi Any Other Name: BIsexual People Speak Out” (1991), she also integrated faith into her sexual education and advocacy work. Her 2001 doctoral dissertation, “Erotic Rites: A Cultural Analysis of Contemporary U.S. Sacred Sexuality Traditions and Trends,” offered a pointed queer and feminist analysis to sex-neutral and sex-positive spiritual traditions in the United States. Her thesis was also groundbreaking in exploring the intersections between sex workers and those in caregiving professionals, including spiritual ones.
In an oral history interview conducted by Michelle Mueller back in August 2023, Hutchins described herself as a “priestess without a congregation.” While she has occasionally had a sense of community and feels part of a group of loving people, she admitted that “I don’t feel like we have the shape or the purpose that we need.”
“I’ve often experienced being the Cassandra in the room, the Cassandra in the community. Somebody who’s kind of way out there ahead, thinking through the strategic action points that my community hasn’t gotten to yet, and getting a lot of resistance and hostile responses from people who are frightened by dissent and conflict and not ready for the changes we have to make to survive,” she said.
“For somebody who’s bisexual in an out political way and who’s been a spokesperson for the polyamory movement in an out political way, it’s very exposing. And it’s very important to me to be able to try to explain and help other people understand the connection between spirituality and sexuality,” she explained citing how even as a graduate student she was “exploring how to feel erotic and spiritual, and not feel them in conflict with each other in my own spiritual contemplative life and my own sensual body awareness of being alive in the world.”
“Every religion has a sense of sacred sexuality. It’s just they put a lot of boundaries and regulations on it, and if we have a spiritual practice that is totally affirming of women’s priesthood and of gay people, queer people’s ability to minister to everyone and to be ministered to be everyone, what does that do to the gender of God, or our understanding of how we practice our spirituality and our sexuality in community and privately?”
“There’s no easy answer,” she concludes, and she continued to grapple with these questions throughout her life, co-editing another seminal text, “Sexuality, Religion and the Sacred: Bisexual, Pansexual, and Polysexual Perspectives,” published in 2012. Her work blending spiritual and queer liberation remains groundbreaking to this day.
Rev. Eric Eldritch, a local community organizer and ordained Pagan minister with Circle Sanctuary who has worked for decades with the DC Center’s Center Faith to organize the Pride Interfaith Service, is eager to highlight this element of her legacy at the memorial service next month.
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