Shameful Feelings and Ideas

How to Defend Yourself – Victory Gardens Theatre

Filled with crude comic moments, views on attracting the opposite sex and all kinds of flirtatious situations, Liliana Padilla’s new play takes place on a college campus. The setting is the university gymnasium where a series of free workshops are being offered. Taught by a perky coed named Brandi, a determined young woman devoted to making a difference, the classes attempt to instruct interested students in how to fend off unwanted sexual advances. The impetus for this informal, student-led lecture/demonstration is the violent rape of the leader’s sorority sister in a brutal assault that’s landed her in the hospital. Brandi, assisted by Kara, her friend and fellow sorority sister, wants to do something positive to prevent this kind of thing from ever happening again. The results are debatable.

Ms. Padilla’s play is her latest offering in an attempt to write plays about community, the body and what it means to heal in a violent world. This comic drama had its world premiere last year at Louisville’s Humana Festival, where it garnered rave reviews from both the audience and critics, alike. Directed again, this time at Victory Gardens, by Chicagoan, Marti Lyons (who guided last year’s powerful “Cambodian Rock Band”), the production bursts with a volcano of emotions. She combines a perfect blend of  traditional stage movement and blocking with lots of physical dexterity, set to pumping pop music. Ms. Lyons is assisted by three topnotch specialists: fight director, Matt Hawkins; movement director, Steph Paul; and intimacy director, Rachel Flesher, all of whom add a great deal of realism to this production.

The performances are all filled with guts, gusto and just the right amount of empathy. Two of the seven actors in this cast, making their Victory Gardens debuts, are recreating the roles they originated in Louisville. Anna Crivelli is stunning as Brandi, the svelte, Barbie Doll leader of the DIY workshop. A force of nature, she’s doggedly driven to making this impromptu class a success, as her way of apologizing to her injured sorority sister for what happened. Her frustration, however, is palpable as the class begins to take a new direction and fall apart. Ariana Mahallati, who created this good-humored and totally engaging coed in Louisville, again plays Mojdeh. She’s a young girl who’s dragged her best friend, Diana (played with power and passion by the exciting Isa Arciniegas) to this workshop, in the hopes of impressing Brandi into welcoming her into her white girl sorority. Ms. Mahallati is impressive, particularly as her motives subtly shift from learning to defend herself to trying to attract a man.

The Chicago cast also includes such impressive, talented actors as Netta Walker, who plays Kara. She portrays a young woman who radiates self-confidence in everything she does, particularly as she describes how she prefers to be taken by force rather than wooed with poetry and flowers. Ms. Walker, along with the likable Jayson Lee, as Eggo, were both standouts in Northlight Theatre’s holiday offering, “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley.” Mr. Lee, a Jeff Award nominee, is one of the most likable and versatile young actors working in Chicago today. He’s got the looks, the moves and the charisma to go places, as exemplified by his strong, yet heartbreaking, performance in this play.

Ryan McBride is one the city’s most accomplished and sought-after young actors. The handsome Mr. McBride makes his Victory Gardens debut as college stud, Andy, after having recently appeared as Cinderella’s narcissistic Prince in Writer Theatre’s “Into the Woods.” He also practically stole Windy City Playhouse’s production of “Noises Off,” as pompous leading man Garry LeJeune. Here, when he and his pal Eggo drop in on the workshop, the sexual tension begins. He becomes the object of the girls’ lust. But we soon learn that Andy has some pretty dark secrets buried deep inside.

But the biggest surprise in this cast is Andrea San Miguel, as the strangely introverted coed, Nikki. With so many classical roles on her resume, this role is a real departure for Ms. San Miguel. And she is unbelievable. One moment her Nikki’s soft-spoken, shy and given to utter nerdy, non sequiturs, creating a truly uniquely unusual, hilarious character. But then, on the turn of a dime, the actress becomes commanding and compelling, a ferocious warrior who’s finally found her voice. It’s one of the best performances in a play that’s filled with top quality casting.

This new production of Victory Gardens’ Co-World Premiere with Actors Theatre of Louisville gives Chicago theatergoers the opportunity to enjoy Liliana Padilla’s excellent, high octane, award-winning comic drama. It’s a powerful play about how far we’ve come (and have yet to go), as the Me Too Movement continues to change attitudes toward unwanted sexual attitudes. Skillfully directed by Marti Lyons in Yu Shibagaki’s authentic-looking gym setting, this production will long be remembered for the way shameful feelings and ideas about sex and violence, long suppressed, have been played out upon the stage.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented January 24-February 23 by Victory Gardens Theater at the Biograph, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 773-871-3000 or by going to www.victorygardens.org.

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