Before she was 30, the intrepid Susanna Centlivre had buried two husbands. She went on to take a third and become a prominent Restoration playwright. History forgot her, but scholarship is resurrecting her works--and she is a welcome discovery. "The Wonder! A Woman Keeps a Secret," now at T. Schreiber Studio, displays a sharp observer and clever satirist.
Marriage is her theme as two proper daughters snatch their fates from their fathers' hands and skirt the landmines of male egotism to play their own singles game. Violante's (Amy Ankin) knack for regaining the upper hand is matched by Isabella's (Elizabeth Alice Murray) maiden in distress. The secret of the title is the spring for the plot complications, comedy, and feminine heroism that keep the evening going at a lively trot-even when the dramatic machinery groans.
The perspective is uniquely female. All the men are ruled by greed. Isabella's father is selling her to a rich geriatric suitor, while Violante's dad is packing her off to a convent so he can pocket her inheritance. And the eyes of the suitors light up most when they consider the dowry. As a popular playwright, Centlivre keep these insights brief-just enough to create a distinctive tone that feels contemporary.
Under the direction of Elizabeth Swain, the young cast can boast three standout performances: Ankin's charismatic Violante holds center stage in every scene; as her jealous lover, Brian Avers touches heartstrings and funny bone alike with his split-second mood shifts; and from his half-intelligible Scottish burr to his instant bellicosity, Wry Lachlan's inept servant is worth silver coin.
The simple stage design (Sarah Lambert) and lush period costumes (Jamie Suter and Melissa M. Vieira) are ideal visuals. This neo-classical staging is a clue for future productions. More Moliere-like exaggeration and farce could only make the laughter bubble higher.
