“Glimpses of the Moon”

Posted by Gail M. Burns - October 1998

Shakespeare & Company does many things well, but the two things it must do
well to survive are stage Shakespeare and adapt Edith Wharton to the stage.
In “Glimpses of the Moon” they have done the latter very well, but Edith
Wharton, no matter how well adapted, isn’t William Shakespeare, nor was she
a playwright. Her light touch and focus on the wealthy at the turn of the
last century make for slight theatre in the overall scheme of things.

“Glimpses of the Moon” is adapted by Alison Rgaland from the 1922 novel of the
same name by Wharton. It concerns
the foolish arrangement that Susy Branch and Nick Lansing make when they
impulsively decide to marry. Nick and Susy know all the right people, but
don’t actually have any money themselves and so are forced to sponge
endlessly off of their wealthy acquaintances in order to continue living in
the manner to which they have become accustomed. Although they marry for
love, part of their agreement is that they are free to part if either of
them finds someone to whom marrige will mean more money and social status.
Needless to say, through a misunderstanding, they part and drift miserably
through the world of riches without the one person who can make them truly
rich.

Like Nick and Susy, director/choreographer Rebecca Holderness has managed
to stage a production that is beautiful to look at with no set to speak of
but some columns, some white panels, four chairs and occasionally a table
or two. She is helped tremendously in accomplishing this by the gorgeous
costumes designed by Govane Lohbauer. I swear that I could live very
happily in those beautiful clothes for the rest of my life – whether or not
they bear any resemblance to what the wealthy actually wore in 1913 and
1914. It is not just the designs, which are unique and fascinating, but
also Lohbauer’s use of wonderful fabric that moves with the actors to help
create a feeling of time, place, and character.

Holderness and her fine cast capture Wharton’s world perfectly. Christine
Calfas and Andrew Borthwick-Leslie are perfect as Susy and Nick. Calfas is
extraordinarily beautiful and appealing as Susy, and Borthwick-Leslie captures
Nick’s pseudo-pomposity superbly. I was certainly rooting for both of them
to see the error of their ways.

The directorial stroke of genius that makes the whole thing work is the tango.
There could be no two more incongruous words than “Wharton” and “tango”. The
tango is a dance which originated in the brothels and lower class bars of
Buenos Aires – a clash between the cultures of Creole Argentina, Africa, and
Europe. It came into the favor of Argentinian aristocrats, who took it to
Europe. By the time in which “Glimpses of the Moon” is set it was very much
the fashion in the western world. Holderness frames her production within the
boundaries of the tango – using the “close, but not too close” sensuality of
the dance as a metaphor for Nick and Susy’s relationship.

Ragland and Holderness have also created two mute characters named only as the
Man in Black (Chamaio Cheyenne-Rindge) and the Woman in Black (Celia Madeoy)
whose cheif function is to dance a sensuous tango while moving the props and
furniture between scenes. Madeoy is listed as Assistant Tango Choreographer,
and special thanks is given in the program to Dan Weltner of the Sandra
Cameron Dance Center for his tango lessons. Between Holderness, Madeoy, and
Weltner they have created an excellent melieu for the the action of Wharton’s
narrative.

“Glimpses of the Moon” produced by Shakespeare & Company runs through October 18 at the Stables Theatre at Edith
Wharton’s mansion The Mount, 2 Plunkett Street, Lenox. Call 413-637-3353 for
tickets and information. Please be aware that there is little heat in the
Stables Theatre, so patrons are advised to dress warmly if the weather is
chilly.

Copyright Gail M. Burns 1998

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