Annette Bening Shines in “Female of the Species” at the Geffen (02/10)
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Joanna Murray-Smith‘s farce, The Female of the Species farce gives this form of theatre a good name again at the Geffen, a comedy that is entertaining from start to finish, and features unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, complete with the most “improbable” mistaken identity (the gay publisher an unknowing biological parent?), witty word play to toss around ideas of feminism, and a fast-paced plot culminating in a machina ex deus ending just as the curtain is going down.
In The Female of the Species in the Geffen main theatre, Annette Bening takes charge of the house with her opening expletive, as Margot Mason, power house feminist writer coming to terms with her writer’s block, in her pretty country retreat. The audience roars, and it never gets quiet after that in Joanna Murray-Smith‘s farce, The Female of the Species, ably directed by Randall Arney, until the curtain comes down..
Wtihin minutes nonconformist instrucer, Molly Rivers (Marritt Wever), walks onstage, gun in hand to turn Margot’s world upside down, just as the author had turned her life inside out by influencing her mother to commit suicide clutching one of her books. Oh my, the girl with the gun is the unmistakable annoying underling and curse of the Edie Falco character who store scenes on Showtime’s “Nurse Jackie”Showtime last season. Again, is instantaneously recognizable just by her self-deprecating grimace punctuated by clenched lips.
And it gets better after that. Just as Bening begins to make headway defending herself as the bravely righteous and soul-searching if egotistical Mason, in walks her married daughter, Tess, (married and therefore a feminist disappointment), Mireille Enos of Big Love) to side with Molly. Her monologue about walking out on her children brings down the house. So does the macho taxi driver Frank’s monologue about his marriage later on.
The ever-strong presence, Julian Sands, is a late arrival as Theo, Margot’s gay publisher. He adds another layer to the plot when his relationship to Margot’s daughter is revealed. And this takes place just as Mason rethinks aloud not only her weaknesses as a writer and mother, but how to get another book out of them.
There’s a shock at the end worth the price of admission, one that leaves the audience gasping and laughing as the play ends a split second later. Female of the Species is a “must-see” evening of entertainment, especially welcome in these trying times.
For more information and tickets, visit www.geffenplayhouse.com.
A farce is a comedy which aims to entertain the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include sexual innuendo and word play, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases, culminating in an ending which often involves an elaborate chase scene. Farce is also characterized by physical humour, the use of deliberate absurdity or nonsense, and broadly stylized performances. Farces have been written for the stage and film.
Many farces move at a frantic pace toward the climax, in which the initial problem is resolved one way or another, often through a deus ex machina twist of the plot. Generally, there is a happy ending. The convention of poetic justice is not always observed: The protagonist may get away with what he or she has been trying to hide at all costs, even if it is a criminal act involving crazy costumes.
Farce in general is highly tolerant of transgressive behavior, and tends to depict human beings as vain, irrational, venal, infantile, and prone to automatic behavior. In that respect, farce is a natural companion of satire. Farce is, in fact, not merely a genre but a highly flexible dramatic mode that often occurs in combination with other forms, including romantic comedy. Farce is considered a theatre tradition.
As far as ridiculous, far-fetched situations, quick and witty repartee, and broad physical humor are concerned, farce is widely employed in TV sitcoms, in silent film comedy, and in screwball comedy. See also bedroom farce.