Rapture, Blister, Burn at the Geffen Theatre Aug 2013
To have the same play incite one reviewer and delight another is no small feat. But that’s exactly what Gina Gionfriddo’s contemporary comedy, “Rapture, Blister, Burn,” managed to do in the Gil Cates Theatre, at the Geffen Theatre on opening night. The play provoked a lively and intense discussion. A great part of that is due to the fact that under Peter Peter DuBois’ direction the ensemble continues the romp of a play, from an off-Broadway and Seattle run, in a manner that is fresh every minute. Judging from the roar of the audience to most of the lines, they are right on target with every line.
The basis of the play is the age-old question, ”given the chance would you change lifestyles with someone who you consider to be in greener pastures than you?” To this end a supremely successful but single academic changes lifestyles with a married, stay-at-home mom and small-town housewife. Both in their early 40’s, the two former college classmates are bright, sexy and open enough to the adventure of changing places with each other, with all the philosophical attitudes that go along.
The vibrant Amy Brenneman (Judging Amy, Private Practice) plays the academic, so much a powerhouse that not only is she “published” but a best-selling author on the NY Times best seller list and a frequent TV guest on Bill Maher’s “Real Time” (wonder if she ever got a word in edgewise). A growing anxiety is that she is single and childless. and feeling empty because she doesn’t have a husband and children, and her beloved and loving mother is aging. When she returns to her New England small town to look after her spunky mom, Alice (Beth Dixon), Catherine visits with her former graduate school boyfriend Don (Lee Tergesen) and his wife, Gwen (Kellie Overbey), at one time her best friend who married the boyfriend she left behind.
Gwen, watching her friend’s international high life, now wonders if she would do better as a single city-slicker professional rather than as a small town housewife married to an academic who has sloughed off instead of taking off. When her teen-age son has a change at a Manhattan job, she moves into Catherine’s apartment while Catherine sets up housekeeping with her mother, Don and the toddler of Don and Gwen.
The vehicle to air an entire history of feminism in America is a special seminar Don sets up for Catherine to teach in her home, with Gwen, who wants to complete her degree, and Avery (Virginia Kull), a smart-aleck college student and wanna be reality show producer, who was thrown over by her co-producer boyfriend.
The debate roars between the ideals and goals of feminism (a la Betty Friedan) and anti-Feminism (Phyllis Schafly) with the latter often being the stronger. Supermom, housewife, Alice adds to imbalance with her timely offer of martinis a lot of the time, which seem more welcome and more enjoyable than attained goals without personal touch to them.
As predictable as the play may be by having three generations of women, from the pre-feminist Alice is to the post-feminist Avery, spout feminist history from their own point of view, life takes unpredictable turns because of human nature with all its flaws, foibles and strengths to bring the play to a satisfying and natural conclusion.
Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Avenue.
Contact: (310) 208-5454 or www. geffenplayhouse.com