Review: MERRY ME, New York Theatre Workshop
Photo credit: Joan Marcus
Merry Me will leave you speechless and full. This is a piece for anyone who loves or cares about a woman. The show is directed by Tony-nominated Leigh Silverman and written by Hansol Jung. Throughout its 90 minute duration, the audience is slowly and sweetly fed the lesser-shown perspective of female drive and desire.
In a base camp, “on an island not far away from the vulnerable coasts of the enemy state”, the cast of seven actors play soldiers and angels. The soldiers, with the intervention of The Angel, deliciously played by Shaunette Renée Wilson, struggle to restore the island-wide blackout and get back to fighting under the General’s Command. The group descends into chaos because of powerful, chiseled, lesbian goddess Lieutenant Shane Horne (Esco Jouléy) and her sexcapades. This casting couldn’t be more perfect and Esco Jouléy is a true standout that we’d love to see again crafting another starring role.
The climax of the show involves a monologue in which Mrs. Sapph Memnon (Nicole Villamil) describes the slow-building fire that leads her to her ultimate flame. This moment is poignantly complimented by sounds of Janelle Monet’s “Pink”, and it is one of the most hard-hitting moments of the show. Aside from her playful and sincere performance throughout the show, this scene alone is a truly powerful journey that the actor handles with grace and mastery. While this is a play which involves great comedic relief, it’s a story about releasing one’s own love in order to lead the world to a better place.
Rachel Hauk has created a simple, elegant, and ingenious set which not only depicts an entire naval base camp and its individual quarters, but several bedroom scenes from a bird’s eye view. Rachel Hauk’s set greets audience members with a gentle blue sky and clouds, looking over a plush carpet which just asks to be rolled around on. Before the show starts, the audience is kept excited by spotlights which scan the house before lights go down.
Popular music, theatre, and cultural references mix with old-timey shakespearian language and Greek names, helping to give this story a timeless feel. But it’s not a heavy piece, it’s whimsical and witty, breaking down the fourth wall and referencing characters from other popular 20th century plays. Merry Me makes for the perfect day at the legendary NYTW, in NYC East Village. It will stir up thoughts and feelings in all the best of ways.
Merry Me plays at NYTW until 19 November, with further information here.