Eclectic Full Contact Theatre’s “Dear Brutus” Bursting with Frantic Whimsy

Dear Brutus – Eclectic Theatre

 

Each and every day, we are confronted by the totality of choice. Some decisions are small: do I want steak for dinner or do I want chicken? Some choices are irrevocable: do I maintain my cozy office desk job or move across the country to pursue my passions with reckless abandon? The haunting spectre of the hypothetical — of choices made and not made — is a common trigger for sleepless nights. Thanks to Eclectic Full Contact Theatre, this anxiety-inducing quandary is no longer limited to late-night self-interrogations. Loosely based upon A Midsummer Night’s Dream, JM Barrie’s Dear Brutus confronts the inherent fallacy (and value) contained in longing for that which one cannot have: a second chance.

The play opens with five women pondering the mysterious pretenses of their invitation to the homestead of the seemingly-ageless Lob. Lob’s eager yet anxious butler, Matey, gives the women cryptic advice: don’t enter the wood. Before he may elaborate further, Lob appears with the women’s husbands: the drunkard Mr. Dearth, the philanderous Mr. Purdie, and the kindly old Mr. Coade. They discuss a mythical forest that appears only on Midsummer’s Eve. Conveniently, the woods appear just outside the drawing room window, enticing the curious and scaring the skeptical. Through coaxing, baiting, and an eventual temper tantrum, Lob convinces all of the party to enter the woods, in which each guest is made to live out their desires: the philanderous Mr. Purdie is married to his mistress instead of his wife, Matey is a successful businessman instead of a butler, Mr. Dearth lives as an artist with the loving and adventurous daughter he never had — so on and so forth. As each fantasy plays out, it becomes abundantly clear that each person’s nature does not allow them the satisfaction of their dream: Mr. Purdie makes a mistress of his former wife, Matey is selfish and overzealous, Mrs. Purdie is penniless and abused by a different man…. Finding their way out of the woods, each person “wakes up” from the dream to find Lob sleeping on the drawing room sofa. Upon waking, revelation strikes each guest, sparking self-discovery and reevaluation — for better or for worse, the journey through the forest transfigures those daring and ignorant enough to dwell on what might have been.

Eclectic Full Contact Theatre’s production of Dear Brutus bursts with charming whimsy; through excellent lighting design, creative use of sound design, a delightful cast, and lavish set design, this production promotes play and encourages reflection with devastating tact. The bemusing pain of transformation is eloquently expressed through tasteful design and heartfelt wonder.

Director Katherine Siegel establishes abundantly clear relationships between the unfamiliar characters — the internal lives of this play are marvelously detailed. However, Siegel rests uncomfortably in the satisfaction of those detailed relationships. Too often are players sent reeling about the space for mere movement’s sake, leaving a nauseating sense of unease onstage. Particularly when all characters operate in the same playspace, real estate is tight; their blocking is near-frenetic at times, drawing specific attention to the claustrophobic clutter (constraint) of the space. When movement is deliberate — when action is given space to breathe — Siegel’s direction is devastatingly effective; her tact is on full display in the pensive anxiety of growing up and letting go that Mr. Dearth experiences with his hypothetical daughter Margaret, the humorous bite of Mr. Purdie’s absurd romantic games, or the stylish transitions from forest to drawing room.

The cast of Eclectic’s production brings polish, poise, and passion to their work. Jessica Lauren Fisher and Katherine Schwartz banter with revitalizing electricity as Joanna and Mabel, respectively. Noelle Klyce brilliantly juxtaposes Alice Dearth’s jaded worldview with fiery wit. Frank Gasparro enraptures audience and scene partners alike with his sprightly fervor and childlike wonder; Jessica Surprenant embodies that same energy in the more literal sense as Margaret Dearth. Surprenant’s authenticity is matched by her radiant warmth — her bright-eyed curiosity is as refreshing as it is heartbreaking.

The clever design of this production masterfully crafts the world of this play with efficiency and grace. Lighting design by Rachel Lake works double duty, indicating subtle, ambient shifts in tone in the drawing room, while dynamically expressing the fluid spectrum of feeling and circumstance in the forest. LJ Luthringer’s sound design enhances the magic of this world with clarity and depth. The distant ping of “awakening” is a particularly effective and well-executed sound motif throughout the play. Scenic design by Frank Gasparro and Jeremy Hollis cleverly balances the dichotomy of “whimsical forests” with “formal living room.” Maintaining this production’s flair for the dramatic, the flourishing vines descending from the ceiling evoke an environment of lavish freedom — cheap yet effective in the transitional process.

Through efficient and evocative production design and play-centric direction, Eclectic Full Contact Theatre distills the presumptuous longings of the human heart. Dear Brutus advises all who listen to loosen their grip on tightly-held notions of “might have beens;” but more importantly, Eclectic Theatre’s production encourages deep introspection, galvanizing all willing to assess the stability of their inner lives. While the persistent phantom of “what ifs” may be painful, it is only through such suffering that we may find the catharsis of change. It is only through looking past the mundanity of routine that we may find wisdom outside of convention. In seeing that which we could be, we find hope — hope to change, hope to grow, and hope to dream.

Recommended

Reviewed by Quinn Rigg

 

Presented September 22 — October 28 by Eclectic Full Contact Theatre at The Atheneum Theatre, 2946 N Southport Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available at the box office, by calling 773-935-6875, or by visiting http://www.eclectic-theatre.com/dear-brutus.html

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com