Masterpieces
Masterpieces was written in 1983, but it still a most significant play. It deals with issues that are not discussed or investigated often enough in our society; a society where the degradation and exploitation of women’s bodies in advertising, films, and magazines is so prevalent that it appears ordinary and is not anymore even shocking. This play draws a direct relationship between pornography and violence and depicts how misogyny taints marriages, work life, and so many aspects of woman’s lives.
Sarah Daniels is a popular and critically acclaimed British writer; prolific, she already has two collections of her plays published. Although extremely provocative, Masterpieces is not without flaw. It is written in a choppy, disjointed manner, difficult to stage with innumerable set changes, blackouts, and monologues (which this production chose all too often to do in semi-blackouts using recorded voices). Character development is not adequate and the men in the piece are cartoonish sleazeballs defending their right to porn and infidelity. Even with these weaknesses this play was included in the Royal National Theatre’s list of the top One Hundred Plays of the 20th Century.
Masterpieces is the inaugural production of The Lost Studio Theatre Company, a group of young and quite talented actors. Under the direction of artistic director, Cinda Jackson, they all fared well; especially noteworthy was Bree Condon in her portrayal of a single mother outrageously violated in her efforts to secure work. Tatyana Yassukovich (Rowena) a social worker, and Kristina Hayes (Yvonne), a teacher were also outstanding. Nor can I neglect to mention Kate Manney (Irene Wade), who was quite good as the mother of a young rapist bringing his collection of pornography to the school teacher in an effort to gain some understanding of her son’s actions.
But if a production ever needed a vocal coach, this was it. Since the play takes place in Brittan the company attempted to speak with English accents. I understood almost nothing of two of the actors and understood nothing of all of the actors when music covered their speech or the pace was speeded up in an effort to what I can only imagine was an attempt to appear authentic. The poor vocal work interfered with the believability of relationships as well. As actors mumbled and rushed through dialogue it was impossible to imagine that they were really trying to communicate with one another; there was little physical or kinetic response either.
The set, designed by Anton Jarvis, seems overcomplicated and difficult to maneuver. Curtains are sometimes used as scrims but the lighting (David Rubin) was never sufficient to maximize effect. Lapses of sound (also David Rubin) during the all too many transitions was evident especially after a murder takes place and we move to another dramatic scene which for some reason is staged behind curtains. The mechanics of the production simply have not been worked out smoothly.
The play has problems. The staging has problems. The actors have dialect problems. Still, this is a most worthwhile evening in the theatre where serious issues are tackled by a most talented collection of actors guided by the ambitious and gifted artistic director Cinda Jackson .
The Lost Studio
130 South La Brea Ave. L.A. 90036 (South of Beverly between 1st & 2nd St.)
January 26-March 3rd 2012 Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 8pm.
(323) 933-6944
theloststudio@gmail.com