'Three Tall Women' stretch subtexts

The success of a play whose characters are named A, B, C and Son might cause confusion among audience members. In spite of the challenges, Edward Albee accomplishes this triumph in his Pulitzer Prize winning play, "Three Tall Women." Alexandra Berardi, senior in Theatre Arts, and Eric Skarpac, graduate student in nuclear engineering and math, are among the cast members at the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre's production this weekend.

The play has two very different, distinct acts, with three female characters: A,B,C and a male character, Son. Act 1 opens with 92-year-old A on her deathbed. B is her nurse and C her attorney. Son returns home, his estrangement deepened because of his homosexuality.

There are comedic moments, yet there are subtexts regarding aging, death, racism, homophobia, sex. At the end of Act 1, A has a stroke, paving the way for the surreal deconstruction of A's life as her life ends. Berardi portrays C, who is A in her mid-twenties, full of optimism. B, portrayed by Ruth Athan, is A in her middle years. She has tasted some of life's bitterness, yet denies that her life is less than perfect. Finally, A is portrayed by Mildred Koen, facing her different selves.

"A's three different selves must battle it out and eventually reconcile and become one, accept being the same person, before A can die," Berardi said. The motif of Everywoman, in Berardi's view, weaves through the play.

As Alexandra Berardi says, this play is "provocative, shocking, can make your stomach turn." There is a monologue, graphic for sexual content, which might, she said, "make the audience laugh, but nervously."

Eric Skarpac said that he, too, might list "shocking" as a main ingredient, but he also said the play is "intriguing yet embarrassing,", all depending on the point of view of the audience.

Both actors agree that this play will echo in each member of the audience, since there are strong connections and universal themes that Albee has captured in this complicated work.

Albee said in the foreward to the play, "I did not cry and gnash my teeth as I put this woman down on paper. I cannot recall suffering either with her or because of her as I wrote her. I recall being very interested in what I was doing-fascinated by the horror and sadness I was (re)creating."

Audiences have an opportunity to witness the experience of Albee, in excruciating detail, in this weekend's presentation of "Three Tall Women."

10-13-99