8th Annual Aphra Behn Festival
SATE Ensemble Theatre
April 4, 2024
Image: SATE Ensemble Theatre
SATE’s 8th Aphra Behn Festival ran at the Chapel this past weekend, and it was a lot of fun, with a large, enthusiastic audience and a slate of promising plays with strong casting and direction. Here are a few thoughts on this year’s featured shows:
“The The”
by Anne Valentino
Directed by Michelle Hand
This clever play has my vote for best of the evening, with an intriguing premise, compelling characters, and strong performances. Meghan Baker plays Allie, who works for a hotel chain’s corporate office in the “hotel naming” department. She’s been sent to investigate a West Virginia hotel, The Thisben, to get local reaction concerning whether or not the hotel should be able to keep the “The” in its name. Allie is also an aspiring photographer whose work her husband, Jason (David Cooperstein) often belittles.
The performances are good here, with the star of the show being Keating in a variety of roles at The Thisben–including the desk clerk, the manager, the maid, and the daycare director–who may or may not all be the same person. Keating’s comic timing and versatility are impeccable, and the highlight of the show. Michelle Hand’s thoughtful direction is also a plus here, and the script is fun, although the pre-West Virginia moments lag a bit.
“Left to Lose”
Written and Directed by Stella Plein
This one is more of a sci-fi offering, presented as a staged reading. The three performers do their best, led by Angela Chan as lead character Ezra and as “The Radio”, although the distinction between the two parts is not always clear. As Ezra deals with a personal loss involving a national tragedy, Deniel Lee as “The Public” interjects reactions to the events and Ivy Liao as Ezra’s husband, astronaut Hayou, provides moments of pathos. It’s a promising story, but I think more could be done in terms of clarity and definition of the characters.
“Run Run Run as Fast as You Can”
by Tessa Van Vlerah and Dylan Staudte
Directed by Katie Leemon
The writers of this play appear to have been influenced to some degree by Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, with its portrayal of super-villains in a comic way. The premise has said villains in a support group led by Limburger (Andre Eslamian), challenging them to examine their lives and reform. Sienna, the fox (Sam Hayes) is somewhat snarky, but Royal Pea (LaWanda Jackson) is even more surly, as well as being snooty and entitled. All three players give well-timed comic performances, and the staging is energetic and memorable. Kayla Lindsay’s costumes–strong throughout the various plays–are especially outstanding here.
“The Croning”
by Margeau Steinau
Directed by Abigail Greaser
It’s a party! Or is it a fight? Well, it’s kind of both, as three personifications of feminine archetypes–the Maiden (Anna Rimar), the Mother (Katie Puglisi), and the Crone (Jodi Stockton) engage in a struggle as the aging Crone tries to take stock in her life and integrate the three characters into one. This is the most symbolic of the plays at the festival, and it highlights Erik Kuhn’s lighting as well as featuring energetic staging by director Abigail Greaser and three fun performances, as well as good amount of confetti and glitter! It’s a memorable way to conclude the festival, which also incorporated readings of poems by writers associated with Prison Performing Arts.
Even though this is the 8th annual festival, it’s the first time I’ve attended, and I’m glad I did. It’s a compelling showcase for its playwrights, directors, and performers, and I look forward to seeing what the 9th festival has to offer.