So far this season, DalTheatre鈥檚 graduating class has brought us a chilling tale of nuptials gone Tarantino (Blood Wedding) and a patriotic montage of romance since Canada鈥檚 founding (While We鈥檙e Young). Now it鈥檚 the third-year class鈥� chance to shine as they perform Arthur Schnitzler鈥檚 erotic carousel, La Ronde.
I knew that La Ronde wasn鈥檛 going to be your average DalTheatre show when my editor told me that he was being careful in choosing which photos to post with this story, 鈥渟ince they鈥檙e all students in their underwear.鈥� That鈥檚 one I don鈥檛 hear often.
My interview with director (and Dal grad) Richie Wilcox confirmed La Ronde as an exercise in symmetrical salaciousness.
鈥淭he first scene has Person A and Person B,鈥� says Mr. Wilcox, describing the play鈥檚 structure and content. 鈥淭hey talk, they have sex, they talk. The second scene has Person B and Person C. They talk, they have sex, they have sex, they talk鈥︹�� The pattern continues until the circle is completed and closed (lending La Ronde its title).
The complexities of desire
This is rather titillating stuff for DalTheatre.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 take my kids,鈥� admits Hugh Cape, a third-year student who plays The Poet in the production. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be something for my parents to see this.鈥� However, the cast are adamant that Schnitzler鈥檚 roundabout is about more than sex. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very complex. It doesn鈥檛 just deal with the physical level of desire,鈥� says Erin Johnston, who plays The Actress. 聽
鈥淲e鈥檙e dealing with different types of sexuality, and also sexual promiscuity,鈥� agrees assistant director Laura MacFadyen.
The play鈥檚 sensual intimacy could be humorous for a class as tight-knit as the third years. 鈥淲e have to act seductive and sort of make eyes with each other, all the while moving the furniture around,鈥� groans Mr. Cape. However, their familiarity with each other kept genuine discomfort to a minimum. 鈥淲e, as actors, have a certain level of trust,鈥� explains Ms. Johnston.
鈥淭his class is a really great class,鈥� agrees Ms. MacFadyen. "They鈥檙e playful and daring鈥� we haven鈥檛 had a whole lot of awkwardness.鈥�
Relationships and connections
鈥淭hey鈥檙e really willing to take the risk,鈥� adds Mr. Wilcox. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been trading stories about our own relationships because they really relate to these ones鈥� Some of these relationships and connections, like it or not, are really close to our past sometimes.鈥� Besides, he says, 鈥淭here鈥檚 lots of breath mints going around.鈥�
Taking a cue from the season鈥檚 earlier production of While We鈥檙e Young, DalTheatre has gender-swapped a few roles: The Young Miss is now The Young Man, and The Count has become The Countess. Mr. Wilcox says such choices enhance the play鈥檚 realism: to put on a show about romance and only depict heterosexual couples 鈥渨ould be ridiculous, in this day and age鈥� it wouldn鈥檛 speak to many of the theatregoers, I would assume.鈥�
Other changes to Schnitzler鈥檚 fin de si猫cle script include a modernized setting (DalTheatre鈥檚 production is framed with scenes from a contemporary Parisian brothel), a staging in the round (like last season鈥檚 Madwoman of Chaillot), and original music by Aaron Collier (Mr. Wilcox refers to these as 鈥淔rench-house-electro-compositions,鈥� and when I look confused, offers a comparison that makes it all clear: Daft Punk.) The production has also partnered with AV俱乐部鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Centre.
La Ronde shows February 8-11 in the David MacK. Murray Studio (Dal Arts Centre). Tickets are $14 ($7 for students) and are available from . (Edit, Feb. 9 - the run is now sold out.)
Leave the kids with a babysitter, because this is one show you don鈥檛 want to miss.