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A CurtainUp Review
Nine Parts of Desire By Jenny Sandman
When Americans think about Iraqi women (if they think of them at all), a persecuted, uneducated figure confined to a burqah comes to mind. The women Raffo portrays don't fit the stereotype. All are independent to some degree (in mind if not in body). All long for knowledge. All have endured hardship and sacrifice, and witnessed terrible things. But none are broken. They refuse to leave their families, their homeland. Though they hate Saddam Hussein, they also have mixed feelings about the American soldiers. Raffo, a gifted performer with a keen ear for accents, accords dignity and respect to each woman she portrays . It is her love for and passionate interest in her subject that brings the characters to life with the smallest adjustment in costume or stature. Some of the stories and personalities she introduces are . an artist, a Bedouin, a doctor and a child. There's even an American. Director Joanna Settle guides Raffo's energies through Manhattan Ensemble Theater's small but elaborate space . The pace never lags. The flow never falters. Raffo also works hard to establish a rapport with the audience, which pays off; by the end, we can't help but be swept up in the emotion. Often in solo shows, the production values take a backseat to the performer. Often we have just the performer and a near-blank stage. But in Nine Parts of Desire, the lighting, sound and sets are just as important-and effective-as Raffo's stories. Together, they weave a seamless whole that is evocative and subtly beautiful. Sandbags, cement blocks, and broken mosaics make up the setting. Sound clips (gunfire, bombings, music) aid in the transitions between characters and scenes. The lighting is at times almost effervescent. This moving ., powerful show was a hit when it premiered at the 2003 Edinburgh Festival. It later moved to London, where it was hailed one of the five best plays last September*. It should garner an equally splendid and ticket selling reputation in New York. *Editor's Note: CurtainUp reviewed the play both at the Fringe and London, and both our British reviewers shared Jenny's enthusiasm. To check out what they had to say go here.
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Retold by Tina Packer of Shakespeare & Co. Click image to buy. Our Review Mendes at the Donmar Our Review At This Theater Leonard Maltin's 2003 Movie and Video Guide Ridiculous!The Theatrical Life & Times of Charles Ludlam 6, 500 Comparative Phrases including 800 Shakespearean Metaphors by CurtainUp's editor. Click image to buy. Go here for details and larger image. |