Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C.

NSFW (Not Safe for Work)
Round House Theatre

Also see Susan's reviews of The Letters, The Price and Zombie: The American


Brandon McCoy, James Whalen, Laura C. Harris, and Danny Gavigan
The message of NSFW ultimately gets a bit heavy handed, but the production of Lucy Kirkwood's play now at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland, has a lot of fun along the way.

NSFW, fluidly directed at Round House by Meredith McDonough, is ostensibly about the dehumanizing influence of media on the images (and self-images) of women, but that by itself would be both didactic and not entertaining. Kirkwood filters the premise through a comedy of two workplaces that would seem to stand at opposite points on the publishing spectrum: Doghouse, a crass men's magazine that admits it's about selling titillating photos of young women and not much else, and Electra, a sleek, upscale women's magazine. (The decline of print media and the advent of online content is touched on but is not a major concern.)

Aidan (James Whalen), the bullying editor of Doghouse, makes no bones about his business, saying, "We have nothing but respect for the legally adult women we show." (It's the "legally adult" part that leads to trouble.) He demands that his staff members do anything he asks, no matter how degrading or potentially dangerous, and lets them know how tight the job market is if they don't agree. For example, he asks one employee to spend time in a cabin near the Arctic Circle for a "man challenge" feature, then tells another to fictionalize his marriage proposal for publication.

The action moves to Electra, dominated by elegant and always-in-control Miranda (Deborah Hazlett), when a member of the Doghouse crew is forced to seek other employment. The potential hire soon learns that no woman is too attractive to avoid "perfecting" through Photoshop—and that includes Miranda herself, as depicted in a flashy wordless scene. While the entire cast is fine, Hazlett is the standout.

The title's label of "not safe for work" is a warning to audiences who are uncomfortable with displays of partial nudity. Tony Cisek's modular scenic design moves easily between the man-cave Doghouse offices—complete with grass carpet, a cooler filled with beer, and oversized cover photos of barely dressed young women—to the chic, understated Electra offices, all off-black walls and white furniture.

Round House Theatre
NSFW
May 27th - June 21st
By Lucy Kirkwood
Charlotte: Laura C. Harris
Rupert: Danny Gavigan
Sam: Brandon McCoy
Aidan: James Whalen
Mr. Bradshaw: Todd Scofield
Miranda: Deborah Hazlett
Directed by Meredith McDonough
4545 East-West Highway
Bethesda, MD
Ticket Information: 240-644-1100 or www.roundhousetheatre.org


Photo: Danisha Crosby