How can a nation with morally corrupt leaders and press justify a war meant to spread wholesome values? The Shalimar attempts to explore this question in its occasionally insightful but ultimately unsatisfying modern take on the Phaedra myth, La Femme Est Morte or Why I Should Not F%!# My Son.
In Femme, the action of the myth takes place in America, and the chorus following the growing scandal within the house of military great Theseus (Atticus Rowe) has been transformed into a chorus of leering paparazzi (dressed in club skank-wear by costume designer Ariella Beth Bowden). To remake Theseus, who's been away at war for years, as a flag-waving G.I. Joe doll come to life certainly has resonance, but there are no real parallels in this country to the story of his second wife Phaedra's scandalous love affair with his son Hippolytus (Joe Curnutte). Thus, though there are moments of cutting humor about our obsession with celebrity scandal, the political commentary in Femme is forced.
Interestingly, the company hits on a more apt modern parallel when Neevee (Jen Taher), an officious secretary cum flack, reminds Phaedra (Kim Gainer) about the questionable circumstances surrounding Theseus' first wife's death. Suddenly the specters of Prince Charles and Princess Diana rise, and one wishes that the Shalimar had transported the action of Femme to the U.K., which would have given this adaptation not only relevance but also satirical bite.
Despite the misdirection of the adaptation, which draws not only from Seneca's tragedy but also sources such as The Washington Post and Brett Easton Ellis, the emotionally committed performances from Curnutte and Gainer impress. Director Shoshona Currier's staging, which feels like a live-action music video thanks to Curtis Wallin's shrewdly simple scenic design, also deserves high marks. Femme consistently captivates but only rarely succeeds in indicting our leaders and our world.
Presented by Performance Space 122 in association with the Shalimar
at Performance Space 122, 150 First Ave., NYC.
May 14-24. Wed.-Sun., 8 p.m.
(212) 352-3101 or (866) 811-4111 or www.theatermania.com or www.ps122.org.