Two Figures

Tickets and Information

RE:REVIEW: Ahimsa Collective's TWO FIGURES redefines the "quirky romance"
From World of Stage The concept of Matthew Chesters TWO FIGURES is just too depraved to pass up. Seventeen year-old Penny is a hypersexualized teen. Consumed by vivid, often violent unfulfilled sexual desires, she begins fixating on her nerdily charming art teacher and begins stalking him. What begins as a secret crush erupts into a full-blown torrid affair complete with scenes of bondage and S&M. How could you not be intrigued? And if thats not enough, out on the Powerhouse Theatres patio is Ashimsa Collectives brilliant accompaniment of an art gallery comprised of artistic renderings of real peoples submissions of sexual fantasies. What more do you need for an evenings entertainment? Pennys opening monologue, puts the audience in an X-rated mindset. Youll never look at your mechanical toothbrush the same way again. What comes as perhaps the biggest surprise as the story progresses, is how mild and conventional this supposedly "unconventional" relationship between a young girl and her older teacher becomes. In some ways its refreshing, in some ways a bit disappointing. Advertised as a "powerful drama" about a relationship that is "something brutal, odd, and possibly pathological" plays out as surprisingly vanilla when all is said and done. As Pennys pursuit of Nathan begins, you root for them. When their affair is in jeopardy of being discovered, you fear for them and sympathize. When their love comes under fire, you want to defend them. Perhaps that is the genius behind playwright Chesters madness: he manages to make us understand the misunderstood. However, in doing so, he turns the extraordinary into ordinary, which may not be a plus for those seeking something a bit more provocative or scintillating. Overall, the play has a lot more heart than heat. More sweetness than sex, more nice than naughty, and thats ok. The story is a good one, the characters eerily real and believable. Bethany Esfandiari brings striking frankness and depth to the wisened teen Penny. From the moment she takes the stage, you understand exactly who this girl is. Mature beyond her years and in need of more stimulating attention than what her distracted father and vapid best friend are capable of providing her, it comes as no surprise that she finds a kindred spirit in her loner, brooding art teacher. Such a recognizable, familiar representation of a character by the audience can only come from the performers total confidence and grasp on who she is portraying. Noah Silverstein is both endearing and comical as the slightly awkward and jaded art teacher Nathan, a man with a strong mind and imagination deadened by the impossible task of trying to inspire high school students. Madeline Harris definitely gets the biggest laughs and the best one-liners of the show as Pennys crass best friend Amy. The two male supporting roles in the show are probably the productions largest flaws. Oh Rhyne just tries too hard as Pennys overprotective, overbearing father. While Esfandiari and Silversteins performances teeter on that line between angsty and overdramatic, Rhyne pushes it way over the limit and throws the shows tonal balance out of whack. Miles Marsicos performance more like cameo since he only appears halfway through the second act is also too heavy-handed and his character really isnt an essential or welcome addition to the show. Without giving too much away, the function of his character in the plot could have easily been fulfilled by one of the other supporting characters and there really wasnt a need for Chester to randomly insert a new character so late in the story. The set, designed by Silverstein, is minimalist but effective. Matthew Chesters dialogue is sharp, yet blunt, quick in its movement yet evenly paced in its development. It creates a show that is well-balanced, lighthearted yet deep, sweet yet slightly embittered. The fantasy sequences inserted throughout the show are a delightfully funny and a wonderfully clever storytelling device. All-in-all Two Figures is an imaginative and thought-provoking night of theatre. Coupled with the sexual fantasy art gallery, it challenges us to face the haunting reality that what we point our fingers at and call abnormal, maybe be a lot more common than wed like to admit. http://www.worldofstage.com/articles/index.php?option=com_content&id=110

Reviewed by rachelkiriwalker on Tuesday, Jun 8th, 2010