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Aglet Presents Reading of Mamet’s “Boston Marriage” October 24
Posted by Gail M. Burns - October 2009
Aglet Theatre Company presents a staged reading of David Mamet’s “Boston Marriage” on October 24 at TriArts’ Sharon Playhouse Bok Gallery. Doors open at 7:00 for complimentary wine and refreshments; the reading begins at 7:30 followed by a discussion led by Gloria Miller, Aglet’s associate artistic director and dramaturg.
Boston Marriage by David Mamet. concerns two women at the turn of the 20th century who are in a “Boston marriage,” a relationship between two females that may involve both physical and emotional intimacy. Anna and Claire argue over Claire’s new found “Love” while Anna’s Scottish maid, Catherine, is brought to tears by her employer’s harsh verbal rebukes. The situation becomes tense as Anna tries to talk Claire out of her profession of love for another: a young woman. Claire, however, has made plans with her young love to meet at Anna’s house in the hopes that she will be able to persuade her new love to engage in a “vile assignation.” Things go awry, however, when the girl arrives and recognizes that an emerald necklace that Anna is wearing belongs to her mother. The plot is less important than the expression of the desires and material needs of these women. The effect is sometimes shocking, but more often, blisteringly witty.
Mamet’s best known plays revolve around tough male macho characters in grungy settings. In Boston Marriage, he abandons grunge for elegance, and gritty verbal exchanges for the high flown parlor talk of two Victorian ladies whose relationship typifies the living arrangements of many unmarried women of the period most famously fictionalized in Henry James’ novel, The Bostonians.
Though James and Oscar Wilde seem more likely authors for comedy of manners than Mamet, Anna and Claire are very much Mamet’s own creatures. What James left implicit about Boston marriages is very much explicit in the verbal ping-pong game played in Anna’s parlor. The dialogue is delivered at a galloping pace emphasizing Mamet’s brittle and droll humor.
Deann Halper, Aglet’s Executive Director is featured in Boston Marriage as Anna. Halper has appeared in Aglet’s Talking With…, Galatea, Don’t BlameMme, I Voted for Helen Gahagan Douglas, Sylvia and several off Broadway productions as well as at other venues throughout the Berkshires. Claire will be played by Vashti Poor who was in Aglet’s Talking with…, Sylvia, and Galatea. Clover Bell-Devaney, who has appeared in many off-Broadway and regional productions will make her Aglet debut as Catherine. The reading is directed by Thomas Gruenewald, an accomlished director of Broadway, off-Broadway and regional theatres as well as having directed Aglet’s Don’t Blame Me, I Voted for Helen Gahagan Douglas, Amy’s View and Phantasie.
The reading will take place on October 24 at TriArts’ Sharon Playhouse Bok Gallery. Doors open at 7:00 for complimentary wine and refreshments; the reading begins at 7:30 followed by a discussion led by Gloria Miller, Aglet’s associate artistic director and dramaturg. Tickets are $25.00; $20.00 for students under 18. Reservations may be made by calling 860-435-6928 or writing to aglettheatre@comcast.net. Visit our website at www.aglettheatre.net.
The final presentation of Aglet’s fall season is Heroes by Gerald Sibleyras, translated by Tom Stoppard, on November 14, featuring Thomas Gruenewald, Macey Levin and Michael Tolan.