'Maiden's Prayer' retains intimacy of Performance Network despite new location

By Rosemary Metz

Daily Arts Writer

"The more things change, the more they remain the same," is an adage that might be applied to the Performance Network.

The theatre's recent move to the Courthouse Square Building in downtown Ann Arbor is a change in location. Yet, the artistic intimacy for which this theatre is renowed has remained intact.

This intimacy was clearly demonstrated in the first show of the fall season, "The Maiden's Prayer." Audience and players were artistically and personally intertwined as the story opened and progressed.

A splashy new set by Monika Essen creates the ambience for this play by Nicky Silver. Very contemporary, the play centers on the lives and interactions of a romantic quartet.

Glass entry doors for a summer garden mirrored, sometimes faintly, the expressions and attitudes of the members of this quadrangle. The set assumed a life of its own in many ways, reflecting back to the characters. Identity becomes blurred, as each character presents a front to the world while hiding their own unsureness.

Libby (Carla Milarch), sister of Cynthia (Sarab Kamoo), recites a litany of all the wrongs wreaked on her by her sister. Cynthia, the pregnant bride, on the other hand, is strident, often condescending to Libby. Taylor (Scott Crownover), the bridegroom, is the object of desire of Libby, Cynthia, and his childhood friend, Paul (David Wolber). The dynamics for these four characters are the basis for quick and tart repartee.

Later in the play, Cynthia's baby son is stillborn, plunging her and Taylor into deep, relentless sadness. Taylor becomes despondent when Cynthia leaves him and considers suicide. Meanwhile, Libby has entered into a life of prostitution.

Twists in the plot re-unite Taylor and Paul. A fifth character, Andrew (Bart Philip Williams) becomes the unwanted houseguest of Paul. Andrew is a keen observer of these activities while indulging (and vividly disclosing) his own love affairs.

Late 20th Century themes are woven throughout this play such as alienation, psychotherapy, support groups, 12-step programs, loss, discovery and relationships.

Although the new space provides for more daring innovations at the Performance Network, there is also a sense of unfamiliarity. When the sisters meet after the loss of Cynthia's baby, a moment of sheer beauty is lost in the acoustics. The grief stricken sisters cry out their loss, but their cries become ear-splitting shrill shrieks. Or, when Taylor's offstage gunshot is heard, the reverberation causes a tiny sound, instead of the drama of a possible mortal wound.

While the acting, on the whole, is excellent, the play has serious flaws.

When Libby reveals to Cynthia that she has become a prostitute, she says flatly, "I have become a prostitute," with the impact of a grocery shopping list. When Taylor announces his suicidal intentions to Paul, Paul replies, "but you have more strength than you realize."

Yet, there are tender and very touching moments that neutralize these weaknesses. After the gunshot is heard, Taylor returns to the spotlight. He announces that he "did not die." The crux of the play is summed up in his words that, when he looked into the mirror, he saw "him," finally. Despising "him," Taylor drew the gun and shot into the mirror. The hate and horror of Taylor's inner self, finally reflected back to him, is destroyed in that instant, freeing him to pursue his childhood sweetheart, Paul.

Reflections are found in many places in this play. Costumes (Edith Leavis Bookstein) reflect the changes in the womens' lives. Libby transitions from her sister's bridesmaid dress through to the multi-colored leathers of her new career, for example. Taylor's costume changes reflect his change from the swaggering, overly confident newlywed, to the broken, exhausted man attempting to stitch together a new, more truthful life.

This play tackles tough questions. While it does not provide easy answers, the play provokes thought, challenging the audience.

"The Maiden's Prayer" runs through October 15 at Performance Network, 120 East Huron St. Curtain times are 8 p.m. weekdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Call 734-663-0681 for more information.