William
Gibson uses deus
ex machina as a defining plot driver in his Two For The Seasaw. The way his characters meet
stains credibility. Unlikely becomes awkward in search of a raison d'etre. The
acting by Maggie Chestovich and Stephen Cartmell is engaging, but lost on the
shaky play by Gibson. Dated and foul tempered, the play follows the meeting and
romance of Gittel from the Bronx and Jerry from Nebraska. Jerry's wife has left
him for a colleague and he has fled to New York, taking his loneliness out on
Gittel.
Set
designer and director Bain Boehlke wisely chooses against simply dividing the stage in two
to accommodate the two apartments. He places Jerry's apartment upstage and off
to the left, accentuating the stolidness and claustrophobia of Jerry's New
York. Gittel's apartment is cozy and she is firmly both in the city and in her
life. Their time together is spent solely in Gittel's apartment in a painful
dance around intimacy - emotional and physical.
Jerry
is self-absorbed and inconsiderate, nursing his wounds in Gittel's company.
Gittel is strong, but incautious and stumbles from one ill-considered
relationship to the next. Jerry is steadily revealed as a leech and a brute,
glomming onto his father-in-law's influence during his entire career. He even
slaps Gittel without apology. Gittel's suspicions about Jerry and the relationship
are borne out, even as Jerry denies both.
He
is in half flight from Nebraska and his privilege and behaves as if he is
"slumming" in New York, looking for a part of himself that he is not
all that interested in embracing. Gittel is all symbol to him and he never
comes anywhere near her emotionally.
There
are strange turns of dialogue like stairs leading to walls. At times, the
characters are talking past each other, never gaining traction with sincerity
or commitment. Gittel is florid in her gestures and movement, both entrancing
and fragile. She is a mix of street wizened strength and young girl neediness,
hoping that this entanglement with Jerry will become something more
substantive.
The
play is long -- nearly three hours with two intermissions. Though well directed
and superbly acted, the play is tedious. Gittel and Jerry circle around their
tenuous relationship without making any ground. Listening to the banter is much
like reading a list of metaphors that mean the same thing. Gibson's play is
rarely performed and I think for good reason.