by Michele Markarian
‘The Moors’ – Written by Jen Silverman. Directed by Joe Juknievich. Lighting Design by Luke Lewkowicz; Costume Design by Daisy Walker.Presented by Entropy Theatre at the Plaza Black Box Theatre at the BCA, 539 Tremont Street, Boston through November 17.
“We don’t even hear our emotions half the time. We’re just filled with the sound of things getting lost,’ says Mastiff (Ryan Lemay) alone on the moors, where all of the action of Jen Silverman’s play takes place. Mastiff shares a manor, with an environment as inhospitable as the landscape that it sits on, with three other people – sisters Agatha (Kris Kim) and Huldey (Kayleigh Kane), and their servant, Marjory (Robin Abrahams) who is sometimes called Mallory, depending on the room she’s serving in. A governess, Emilie (Debbie Aboaba) has arrived at the house, at the epistolary request of the sisters’ brother, Bramwell, in order to take care of a small child. Emilie has fallen in love with the sensitive and sweet Bramwell through his letters, which, it turns out, he didn’t write – she was catfished by Agatha. Emilie transfers her devotion to Agatha, who has Bramwell – she’s not so nice, apparently – kept near death in the attic. Agatha would like Bramwell to impregnate Emilie, so that they might have a child.
“This is very Pinter-esque”, remarked my theater companion. Yes, a little, but also funny (very funny), and an absurd sendup of the Brontes and the worlds that they created. Agatha rules the household, and dictates the moves of the other characters like resentful chess pieces, but it is the watchful servant Marjory who understands what truly motivates people, including herself. The ditsy Huldey, who can only dream of fame and longs to share the unhappy contents of her diary with anyone who will listen, is only spurred into action by a suggestion from Marjory/Mallory. It is also very troubling, as each of the characters long for connection, but any connections forged are destroyed. The uncongenial environment is one that seeps through the minds and hearts of its denizens.
It’s a dreamy, stylized production, aided by Juknievich’s crisp direction and Luke Lewkowicz’s moody lighting design. Juknievich has assembled a first-rate cast, aptly cloaked in Daisy Walker’s beautiful costume designs. Particularly impressive are the characters inhabiting the manor. Kim, as Agatha, is absolutely chilling, with an icy, intelligent charm. It’s a smart performance, and Kim has tremendous gravitas and presence. Kane is hilarious as the child-like Huldey, whose penchant for drama and longing for notoriety exceeds the somberness of her surroundings (the ballad she sings is one of The Moors’ only splashes of color, and it’s very dramatic, indeed). Abrahams, as the droll maid given two personas by Agatha – one with typhoid, one with unwanted child – is just terrific. Her timing is impeccable, and her insolent yet subservient demeanor speaks volumes. The mellifluous-voiced Lemay plays the unloved Mastiff with appropriate sadness and hope as his quest for God leads him to fall in love with a Moor-Hen (the adorable Sydney Grant). Both actors are quite convincing as animals. As Emilie, Aboada has the hardest role, as the audience grapples with why the heck she’s not running like the wind from this strange and awful place. Yet at the end she’s calm and pleasant and deliberate, ostensibly impregnated by Bramwell. As she exchanges notes with Margery about Margery’s writings, I was reminded of a movie from the 70s called “Trilogy of Terror”, where Karen Black, bitten by a demon doll, calls her mother and in honeyed tones, asks her to come over.
Entropy is a new theatre company – it’s their first season – and I am truly impressed by the quality of the performances. At two hours without an intermission, “The Moors” ran as smoothly as a piece of music. I was not bored, but curious to see how the scene would segue into the next movement. I look forward to seeing many more interesting productions from this group. For tickets and information, go to: www.entropytheatre.com
