Framed around the personification of Goethe’s Faust, a sinister figure adorned in black strides purposefully on stage to proclaim that to strive is divine, because movement is life. To stop and settle, is to rot in hell forever. And these themes, of giving in to temptation, of accountability, of the weak rising up to become the strong, provide the backdrop to a sexually charged scenario dripping in temptation. We encounter Sal and Pepper, she small and injured, he looming and formidable. As the story unfolds, their power imbalance will shift immutably as he has an affair with a colleague and pays the ultimate price.
A thought provoking examination of how far we will go in our quest for self gratification
Maggie Diaz Bofill wrote this piece, oozing darkness and sensuality. She plays the character of Delia, who becomes the catalyst for change. With the age-old trope of the female seductress emblazoned into our brains, it would be easy to believe that she lures away Pepper’s man. However this is an equal choice, with an unequal accountability and an even further variable consequence.
The dynamics in this collaborative piece are fascinating. Cry Havoc and Labyrinth Theatre Company NYC have combined to create this powerhouse raw with love, lust, betrayal, hurt, suspicion and confusion. The acting is effortless, professional and credible, and the themes striking. Melisa McGregor, composer and violinist, provides an eerie edge to the on stage atmosphere. If actions don’t have consequences unless you stop trying, what happens when 'sorry' isn’t enough?
A thought provoking examination of how far we will go in our quest for self gratification, and the ultimate cost of that transaction. This is a slick production, well acted and with great stage presence.
