Then a theater critic, George Bernard Shaw objected to Nora’s flight in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. His own Fabian beliefs dictated that she should’ve stayed and worked at changing 1890s restrictions. Socialist principles leveled the gulf between rich and poor. Fabians added avocation of gradual, non-revolutionary humanist transition.
Set in the northeast suburbs of London, the Victorian story has been updated to 1929 requiring some early rewriting of references for which there’s no program credit. It revolves around Candida (Avanthika Srinivasan), the capable, decidedly independent wife of well known Christian Socialist clergyman James Mavor Morell (R.J. Foster). An in-demand lecturer, the reverend keeps two assistants busy, Alexander “Lexy” Mills, in a field for which he seems ill suited (Peter Romano who’s fine, but has little defined character), and repressed secretary Proserpine Garnet (Amber Reauchean Williams, who seems to be trying on personalities throughout the scenario. After one glass of Champagne, her tipsy behavior brightens the second act.)
Avanthika Srinivasan (Candida) and Avery Whitted (Eugene)
Candida returns from London taking along a young poet (in his 20s) the couple found sleeping on a park bench. Eugene Marchbanks (Avery Whitted) comes from an extremely wealthy family but was raised without much sense of real life. He idolizes Candida with what he believes is eternal love, balking at every chore that dirties her lily white hands, feeling she’s unappreciated by her spouse. Eugene’s agitated state is compounded by the fact she treats him like an adored puppy. When he declares his love not to her, but rather Morell, things are set in motion.
Into this pinball situation comes Candida’s rogue father Mr. Burgess (David Ryan Smith, chewing scenery) with a wish to reunite with family after a breach caused by his dishonesty. One wonders why he’s included at all unless to show a different strata of society.
Avanthika Srinivasan (Candida) and R.J. Foster (Morell)
Despite many years of happy marriage and children, the reverend is suddenly insecure about his wife’s devotion. A battle of wits and experience is some of the best writing and acting. Eugene is purposefully left alone with his heart’s desire, but truly prefers her on a pedestal. The most interesting part of the story is Candida’s intention to offer her charge experience with love so that a “bad” woman doesn’t initiate him first. In her mind, the altruistic gesture has little to do with spousal commitment, though is undoubtedly pleasant for the ego. How far will she go?
Ultimately the heroine is pressed to choose between the two men.
Director David Staller has staged this Shaw like a farce on steroids. Histrionic verbal and physical tantrums rule the evening. Reverend Morell/Foster and Eugene/Whitted have only parentheses of credibility. The former displays next to no focus, his eyes darting regularly into the audience. The latter is here not a confused, sensitive, over dramatic young man, but a petulant child (not, one senses, the actor’s fault). Candida/ Srinivasan does better through consistency, but shows not a flicker of emotion about anything. As indicated by the author’s other plays, being a strong woman didn’t mean jettisoning everything female, but rather emboldening it. The play goes along at a good clip. Physical staging is skilled.
Set by Lindsay Genevieve Fuori is simply marvelous. Passages for coming and going work well as do two sets of steps and swaged curtains. A carpeted period room is chockablock with collectables – artwork, plaster busts, curiosities, children’s toys, a typewriter and gramophone of the era – which depict intelligence, varied interests, and perhaps a bit more imagination than shown by the reverend.
Michael Costagliola’s sound design and music choices are respectively pristine and spot-on.
Photos by Carol Rosegg
Opening: Avanthika Srinivasan, R.J. Foster, David Ryan Smith, Avery Whitted, Amber Reauchean Williams
Gingold Theatrical Group presents
Bernard Shaw’s Candida
Directed by David Staller
Theatre Row
410 West 42nd Street
Gingold Theatrical Group
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