Kate Mulley

At the suggestion of a good friend, I spent this afternoon in line for returns for Veritas, the much-hyped fringe play about students at Harvard who were expelled in 1920 on the basis of being gay. Whenever something comes with a large amount of hype I usually try to take it with a grain of salt. Probably because theatre doesn’t often live up to my expectations. I found this play compelling and very well-acted, but I also found its earnestness grating and its use of meta-theatricality uneven. The costumes were lovely, the lighting was nice, the use of live music was fine. All in all, I would say it was an above average Fringe play that could definitely have legs elsewhere, but would need a cutthroat dramaturg in the meantime. I’m very aware of plays that are too clever for their own good, partly because it’s something I’ve been accused of. And maybe it sounds snobbish, but when I feel like the literary and Shakespearean allusions are going over my head, chances are 75% of the audience feels the same way. And I couldn’t help but wonder, if a play like this were written about, say, lesbians at Wellesley, would it get the same hype? I’m going to go with no. If I were to grade it, I would say B+.

All was not lost today though, I also read Apologia, a terrific play by Alexi Kaye Campbell (I’m on the hunt for a contemporary British play for NyLon to produce, if anyone has any ideas), and went to a reading of a very odd, yet fun, musical that a friend has been collaborating on.

In June I made a list of plays to read. My co-workers at the book shop gave me MANY suggestions and I made a syllabus (that I’m not quite following) of about 40 plays to read before the end of the summer. It’s basically like my American Drama class from sophomore spring, except the plays are a little more obscure. I’ve enjoyed mostly all of the plays I’ve read, though I’ve definitely noticed a trend of dysfunctional family dramedies. I remember my tutor, John, making this generalization about American plays when I studied in London and it appears that he’s not all wrong.

In the flurry of all this reading I also realized that I had to pick a play of the week for the bookshop. I had just read Two Rooms by Lee Blessing on a plane ride and loved it. Even though it’s an older play, it’s very very timely and well-written. So I’m linking my review here. Just in case any of you would like to buy/read it. I’m only slightly biased, as I worked with Blessing at the Sewanee Writers Conference four years ago. He is an inspiring writer and a very smart man.

Once I’ve finished my summer reading mission (not that that’s really possible), I’ll make a list of plays that I would consider must-reads. Stay tuned.