Lascivious Something

It's possible to get a little tipsy from Sheila Callaghan's heady language in "Lascivious Something," which is set at a vineyard on a small Greek island (indicated in Marsha Ginsberg's beautifully abstract sculptural set design). There's also a potentially explosive situation, as the owners of the vineyard, American August (Rob Campbell) and his Greek wife, Daphne (Elisabeth Waterston), entertain a surprise guest, Liza (Dana Eskelson), a flame from August's past. Unfortunately, Callaghan's theatrical gimmickry undermines the play, which could be an intoxicating investigation into failed love and dashed activist aspirations at the dawn of the Reagan era, a time when policies that have contributed to Greece's current economic crisis were formed.

From Daphne and Liza's initially awkward meeting to Daphne's confrontation with August about his relationship with Liza, Callaghan's play intrigues, and when August and Liza share a particularly intimate moment that's seen by his wife, we're hooked. After this scene, though, Callaghan restarts the action and none of this has occurred. She repeats this gimmick throughout the play, presumably intending to make unspoken desires spoken, but the effect is distancing. So is the confusing inclusion of an androgynous teenage girl, known only as Boy (Ronete Levenson), who's ensnared in a lustful power game shared by August and Daphne. By the time Liza reveals the true reason for her visit, theatergoers may find themselves not caring.

Callaghan's seemingly willful determination to keep us at arm's length means it's almost possible to miss the carefully crafted performances filling director Daniella Topol's delicately guided production. Waterston's Daphne is a model of serenity and simmering passive-aggressiveness. Eskelson turns Liza into Daphne's antithesis, carefully avoiding the cliché of the boisterous American tourist. Campbell's August, the Dionysian figure who holds both women in his sway and has somehow lost touch with his zealousness to change the world, proves to be a charismatic blend of arrogance, wistful dissipation, and sensuality.

Christopher Akerlind's gorgeous lighting certainly transports audiences as it bathes the stage in lush oranges and gentle greens, and the show's soundscape, from Broken Chord Collective, creates eerie atmosphere. But even as one savors these elements and the performances, it's easy to feel disappointed by this intriguing work that never fully satisfies.



Presented by Women's Project and Cherry Lane Theatre at the Julia Miles Theater, 424 W. 55th St., NYC. May 11–June 6. Mon. and Tue., 7 p.m.; Thu.–Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 and 7 p.m. (No performance Sun., May 23, 7 p.m., and Mon., May 31; additional performance Wed., June 2, 8 p.m.) (212) 239-6200, (800) 432-7250, or www.telecharge.com. Casting by Alaine Alldaffer and Lisa Donadio.