|
Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. Belleville Also see Susan's review of Colossal
Herzog sets her story in the Paris neighborhood of Belleville, in the charming apartment of expatriate Americans Zack (Jacob H Knoll) and Abby (Gillian Williams). As designed by Debra Booth, the apartment seems an ideal refuge with its tall windows overlooking the street, its pale walls, and its skylights. Abby is a yoga instructor and former actress, while Zack works for Doctors Without Borders. While Abby worries about her lack of fluency in French and fears becoming a stereotyped "ugly American," she's generally delighted to be making a fresh start in a romantic new country with the man she loves. Without giving away too much, she is going to see her attitude change very quickly. The other characters are Alioune (Maduka Steady), Abby and Zack's landlord, himself an immigrant from Senegal, and his French-born Senegalese wife Amina (Joy Jones). Their groundedness and self-knowledge stand in contrast to the American couple, as does the fact that they are younger than Abby and Zack but already have two children. Muse's direction starts naturalistically and moves by infinitesimal steps into darker territory. Williams and Knoll ably depict the shifting nature and uncertainties underpinning the relationship between Abby and Zack: is she emotionally unstable, is he the caring husband he seems to be, and can they find common ground? Steady offers a well-modulated performance as a man trying to balance friendship with responsibility, and Jones makes a notable impact in a small role. Studio Theatre
|
