"THE REVOLUTIONISTS" Brings Dark Comedy to the Twin Cities
By Ella Tracy
“That’s no way to start a comedy,” said Olympe De Gouges from her writing desk after a projected guillotine dropped from the ceiling of the theater behind her. “THE REVOLUTIONISTS,” written by Lauren Gunderson and directed by Shelli Place, opened on Park Square Theatre’s Proscenium Stage on March 31. Set during the French Revolution, the show follows playwright Olympe De Gouges (Alison Edwards), assassin Charlotte Corday (Jasmine Porter), former queen Marie Antoinette (Jane Froiland) and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle (Tia Tanzer) as they strive to write their own stories, fight for their rights and build unexpected friendships.
I was honored to view the play on opening night. It was thrilling to watch women’s stories elevated and celebrated in theater. The actors exuded understanding of women’s complex and ever-changing positions in society while their characters demonstrated just how impossible it is to contain us. Even when society disagrees, women are capable of whatever they put their minds to.
Act I, though humorous, was painfully slow at times. While I enjoyed the constant banter and strategic story setup, I found many scenes to be unnecessarily long. On occasion, conversations went in circles. These issues were partially rectified by the stellar acting, exciting backstories and Marie Antoinette’s extravagant costuming, but I left the first act wishing scenes had been briefer.
The second act was far more compelling. Relationships were tested and heads literally rolled. Actors showed their range as circumstances swung in favor of our heroes then their oppressors. The characters’ stories culminated in a powerful, poetic exploration of friendship and purpose. The women encouraged their audience to never fear their own power, to revolt against the status quo, to tell their own stories. The speeches were written for the characters’ historical struggles, but also applied too perfectly to the current political and social climate in the United States. I left the theater contemplative and empowered, evaluating how my own story might be told, pondering the influence I have over history, preparing for what revolutions I might engage in next.
Throughout the show, I appreciated the balance between historical accuracy, education and witty modern humor. There’s something so amusing about seeing a Marie Antoinette plucked straight out of “Mean Girls.” I felt closer to the women because of their contemporary dialect and relatable struggles. Sharp social critiques made me chuckle while being brutally honest.
With only four cast members on the Park Square Theatre’s small stage, the show was intimate. For this I was immensely grateful. There was so much happening in the show that one could get lost. The simple stage design did not distract me from the action. I was able to invest myself in the women’s relational and social turmoil, easily following a complex plot and enjoying the nuances of the performance.
As a woman told every day that I am being educated to lead and influence, hearing the stories of four women who did just that was awe-inspiring. I would encourage any friend to learn from De Gouges, Corday, Antoinette and Angelle, using their discussions of revolution and storytelling as a framework for our own conversations.
“THE REVOLUTIONISTS” plays at the Park Square Theatre through April 16. Students receive discounted tickets. Buy online or call 651.291.7005!
