'Tis Pity She's a Whore (John Ford)

Red Bull Theater’s production of John Ford’s Tis Pity She’s a Whore presented a clear exposition and interpretation of this memorable (but seldom performed) Jacobin revenge tale of sibling incest and atheism.  This play does not explore the causes and consequences of accidental incest, that unfortunate mistake resulting when identity is misplaced and family lost through catastrophe or carelessness.  Instead, as the play makes clear from the first scene, Giovanni and Annabella move from siblings to lovers knowingly. In fact, Giovanni has already sought sanction from his confession. Rather than abandon his desires for his sister, as admonished by the friar, he forsakes his religious beliefs and accepts the mantle of the atheist.  

In this way, the way seems to be more about atheism than incest.  With many parallels to rightwing arguments made in today’s single-sex marriage debates, the play speaks forcefully about the consequences of ignoring Christianity’s bedrock principles; without the grounding of religious faith, the play threatens us with the specter of all sorts of despicable practices becoming the norm.  

Frequently, Giovanni takes on the heroic cast of Stanley Fish’s version of Milton’s Satan: the hero sent to test our values.  Just how much do we find ourselves sympathizing with the incestuous lovers? With whom are we more upset, Annabella pregnant with her brother’s child or the cuckolded husband who beats her? 

Jesse Berger’s production spreads out these issues for the audience, and there is no turning away from their brutal reality.  It's good to see his Red Bull productions moving uptown to Broadway.

A final note. Perhaps this production sees camp as another point of intersection between the Jacobian and the contemporary; otherwise, the costuming was baffling and absolutely off-putting.

Recommended. The caveats should be obvious. 

The Maids (Genet)

Once again, Red Bull Theatre has pulled off a daring yet lucid production of a difficult play. Concerned with the nature of identity and performance, Genet's play always has the audience--as well as the characters themselves--wondering who or what is the authentic self and how can it be distinguished from its doppleganger. Through all these twists and turns, Jesse Burger's keen direction goes beyond presenting a comprehensible performance to involving the audience in those very questions. Great set that turns audience into voyeurs. Highly recommend.

The Witch of Edmonton

The Spanish Tragedy (Thomas Kyd)

The Duchess of Malfi (Webster)

Women Beware Women, Thomas Middleton

We've yet to see a weak production by Red Bull Theater. That's saying alot, especially because they tend to stage underperformed (often for a good reason) plays of Shakespeare's contemporaries.

This is a highly imaginative production of Middleton's play.

Highly recommended.