Arts & Entertainment
Dated drama
Decades-spanning O’Neill saga gets fresh but uneven production
Robert Stanton as Charles Marsden and Francesca Faridany as Nina Leeds in the Michael Kahn-helmed Shakespeare Theatre Company production of ‘Strange Interlude,’ by Eugene O’Neill. (Photo courtesy STC)
‘Strange Interlude’
Sidney Harmon Hall
Eugene O’Neill Festival
Shakespeare Theatre Company
Through April 29
This year marks Michael Kahn’s 25th season at the helm of the Shakespeare Theatre Company. As an anniversary present to both himself and the city, Kahn is staging a rarely seen piece of American theatre history: Eugene O’Neill’s “Strange Interlude.”
This Pulitzer Prize-winning play broke all of the theatrical rules at its 1928 premiere. Running more than six hours long (the original production included a dinner break), the play features characters who speak their inner thoughts aloud and explores such previously forbidden topics as homosexuality and female sexuality from the perspective of new sciences such as psychology and eugenics.
This production, however, raises the question of whether a historical artifact such as “Interlude” can come to vivid theatrical life so many years after its shocking debut. The answer is both yes and no. With the permission of O’Neill’s estate, Kahn has cut the play from six hours to just under four hours, but he could easily have cut another hour from the script.
He turns the nine acts of O’Neill’s play into nine scenes presented with two badly needed intermissions. The show spans two decades and focuses on Nina Leeds, the daughter of a New England professor. As the play opens, Nina (Francesca Faridany) is in mourning for her fiancé, golden-boy Gordon Shaw, a pilot who died in World War I. The shattered Nina rebuilds her life through her relationships with the men who are drawn to her likes moths to a flame: novelist and family friend Charles Marsden (Robert Stanton); her husband, businessman Sam Evans (Ted Koch); her lover, doctor Ned Darrell (Baylen Thomas); and, her son Gordon (played by Jake Land as a boy and by Joe Short as a young man) who becomes a golden boy like his namesake.
Over the somewhat melodramatic course of the play, Nina becomes a nurse (who sleeps with the wounded soldiers in her care), learns a terrible family secret from her mother-in-law, has a son by her lover, plays the role of Park Avenue matron when her husband finally becomes a successful businessman, loses control of her son to his fiancée Madeline, and finally, after the death of her husband and the onset of menopause, finds peace in the company of the devoted Marsden.
The actors dive into this material with great commitment, but encounter a few problems along the way. Some are in the script. “Interlude” is famous for O’Neill’s use of spoken inner monologues, ranging from a word or two to short paragraphs. Film and stage directors have tackled these in a variety of ways — voice-overs, masks, freezes. Kahn skillfully guides his cast through these asides in a more naturalistic manner, using shifts in tempo, physical position and visual focus to clearly mark outer dialogue and inner monologue. But while Kahn’s pacing and staging are always masterly, he can’t ultimately hide the problem with O’Neill’s great theatrical experiment — it takes longer to speak subtext than to act it. The spoken asides get repetitive and are often rather obvious.
Another challenge is the design. Kahn cleverly uses projections to cover the set changes (the excellent projection design is by Aaron Rhyne), but when the lights come up, we are left with huge gray walls that dominate the action and dwarf the actors. A final challenge is the character of Nina herself — men can’t seem to tear themselves away from her but we’re never told why. Some of it’s in the writing but though actress Faridany admirably commits to the taxing role, her performance never truly catches fire.
There is, however, one spark of fire in Kahn’s production of this American classic —Robert Stanton’s portrayal of novelist Charles Marsden, one of the first coded gay characters on the American stage. Remarkably, he preserves the essential dignity of the character while not hiding the artistic and personal price of his sexual repression.
The Victory Fund held its National Champagne Brunch at the Ritz-Carlton on Sunday, April 27. Speakers included Tim Gunn, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.), Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) and Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.).
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Music & Concerts
Tom Goss returns with ‘Bear Friends Furever Tour’
Out singer/songwriter to perform at Red Bear Brewing Co.
Singer Tom Goss will bring his “Bear Friends Furever Tour” to D.C. on Sunday, June 8 at 8 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing Co.
Among the songs he will perform will be “Bear Soup,” the fourth installment in his beloved bear song anthology series. Following fan favorites like “Bears,” “Round in All the Right Places,” and “Nerdy Bear,” this high-energy, bass-thumping banger celebrates body positivity, joyful indulgence, and the vibrant spirit of the bear subculture.
For more details, visit Tom Goss’s website.
Friday, May 2
“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at P.F. Chang’s. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, May 3
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.
LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgment free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events for LGBTQ People of Color, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.
Sunday, May 4
“The Chateau Drag Brunch” will be at 12 p.m. at Chicatana. Enjoy fabulous Mexican food and cocktails while being entertained by a rotating cast of the DMV’s best drag performers. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
“The Bubble: Queer Brooklyn Comics in DC” will be at 5 p.m. at As You Are. Queer comedians Charlie Flynn, Evan Lazarus and Keara Sullivan are coming down from NYC for a night of fun as they split an hour of standup comedy. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Monday, May 5
“Center Aging Monday Coffee & Conversation” 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 details, email [email protected].
Tuesday, May 6
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email [email protected].
Wednesday, May 7
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. 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.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older queer women can meet and socialize with one another. We will have discussion, activities, and a chance for you to share what you want future events to include. For more details, email [email protected].
Thursday, May 8
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. 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 with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.
South Asian Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The peer support group is an outlet for South Asian-identified LGBTQ individuals to come and talk about anything affecting them. It’s a secure, judgment-free environment to discuss relationships, sexuality, health, well-being, identity, culture, religion, or anything that is on your mind. For more details, email [email protected].
D.C. liquor board extends drinking hours for WorldPride
PHOTOS: Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch
Executive director of LGBTQ Catholic group to travel to Rome for conclave
Tom Goss returns with ‘Bear Friends Furever Tour’
Calendar: May 2-8
Second federal lawsuit filed against White House passport policy
TRAITOR: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has blood on his hands
Ruby Corado sentencing postponed for third time
Potential Pope Francis successor views homosexuality as an ‘abomination’
Jacob Elordi rides high in ‘On Swift Horses’
-
U.S. Federal Courts5 days agoSecond federal lawsuit filed against White House passport policy
-
Opinions2 days agoTRAITOR: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has blood on his hands
-
District of Columbia5 days agoRuby Corado sentencing postponed for third time
-
The Vatican3 days agoPotential Pope Francis successor views homosexuality as an ‘abomination’