Undine undoes the audience.
At times the laughter at Mosaic Theater Company prevented my hearing all the lines in the uproarious production, the D.C. premiere of Fabulation or, The Re-Education of Undine.
The show is solid entertainment, sketching the no-nonsense life of a New York businesswoman, "Undine" (Felicia Curry), who becomes undone by a conniver named Hervé (Carlos Saldana).
Hervé could convince a snake to fly.
In program notes dramaturg Faedra Chatard Carpenter writes that "Undine" is a mythological "soulless creature" who can recapture her soul if she marries a mortal and bears his child. It's an unhappy union since the mortal does mortal things as we are wont to do.
With proclivities to trick, Hervé whirls Undine round and round the stage in a magnificently choreographed seduction. (Rashida Bumbray was the movement consultant, and Christylez Bacon, rhythm/musical consultant.)
In a different scene in the solo spotlight, Hervé calls out the names of romantic cities, immediately conjuring bliss. (I, too, was captured in Hervé's spell.)
The manipulator, dast he, fells Undine, forcing her to return to her old home place and her people she hasn't visited in 14 years.
"Brother, can you spare a dime?"
You laugh at the serious stuff in Undine telling yourself it's just not right, but it can't be helped and away you go.
The sad but riotous scene in the social services office ("the form!") is too real even for the imaginations of those who've escaped such an ordeal. Director Eric Ruffin builds frustrations to an hilarious apex of a welcome but unlikely exchange.
Script for Undine's girlfriends Rosa (Roz White) and Devora (Lauryn Simone) brought lots of laughs. In their dual and triple roles, Ms. White and Ms. Simone had no trouble projecting their personalities for desired effects.
Ms. Curry, naturally, carries the fast-paced comedrama with flair and confidence as her life unwinds and awakens her to an existence she tried to ignore.
The actors handled their multiple roles with New York stage finesse, but the absolute knockout was Kevin E. Thorne II who is "Flow" in the show, Undine's brother and poet who fiercely protects his "territory" and decries his sister's laments about her life. (The D.C. resident and Howard University graduate was also an FBI agent in the show.)
Except for the long ending with too much melodrama, the script is brilliant, threaded with complex issues of African-American culture and history, most which bypassed me who was enlightened later by the program.
For quick scene changes, Mr. Ruffin's clever design of a "ring shout" has actors dressed in white moving in slow, shadowy circles to make African music by beating wooden and steel instruments.
Andrew Cohen's set and Willow Watson's props are nicely balanced and serve purposes more than adequately.
John D. Alexander's lighting chases quick movements and streams upon soloists on the darkened stage, mostly Undine who often turns and addresses the audience in monologues.
Wikipedia says critic Robert Scholes promoted "fabulation" (related to "postmodernism") to describe contemporary novels of "magical realism" which veer from standard practice. In other words, Undine is a "disrupter" much like the world of disruption we experience daily.
Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for drama (the only woman to be so honored), Lynn Nottage (b. 1964), is the playwright.
She was at least a decade ahead writing current disrupting literature. Undine opened off-Broadway in 2004.
You can go home again, Undine, but, make sure you don't burn any bridges.
Other members of the cast are James Whalen, the accountant; Aakhu TuahNera Freeman, grandma/doctor/inmate; and William T. Newman, Jr., father/priest.
Other creative team members were Moyenda Kulemeka, costumes; Crescent R. Haynes, sound; Kim James Bey, dialect coach; Jared Smith, assistant director; April E. Carter and Laurel VanLandingham, stage managers.
A listing of post-show discussions may be found under "Dates" at this link.
What: Fabulation or The Re-Education of Undine
When: Now through Sept. 22 at 8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday; 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday; 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 and 19. Check the calendar for accessibility and post-show discussions dates.
Where: Mosaic Theater Company, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20002
Getting there: Riding public transportation from Union Station on the streetcar is easy and free, if you can find the streetcar behind Union Station since signage in the station is poor. Valet and parking options are available for those who drive to Atlas.
Tickets start at $20.
Language: Adult but not heavily laden
Duration: About two hours with one 15-minute intermission.
For more information: Please call the box office and leave a message: 202-399-7993, ext. 2.
patricialesli@gmail.com
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