Resonance Ensemble presents

THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE:
CYRANO DE BERGERAC and BURNING

Theatre at St. Clements
423 West 46th St.
NY NY 10036
3-14 February 2016

Cyrano de Bergerac
Written by: Edmond Rostand
Adapted by: Gabriel Barre, Rick Sordelet and Alexander Sobronsky
Directed by: Gabriel Barre

Burning
Written by: Ginger Lazarus
Directed by: Eric Parness

THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE is the Repertory Season of Resonance Ensemble. Although they are two entirely different plays, each one informs and yes, resonates with the other.

CYRANO DE BERGERAC is the classic we are all familiar with. In Gabriel Barre’s production, it is performed with a Commedia dell’arte style with actors playing multiple roles, and all requiring singing, dancing, and playing instruments as well as turning from one character to another with a rapid change of a costume piece and attitude. Played on an open set, revealing the scenery and costume changes, and using simple props, such as ladders and ropes keeps the artifice in full view, which only adds to the festive atmosphere. The final scene with actors on ladders slowly letting autumn leaves drop from their fingers is especially lovely.

The ensemble is fantastic, however, having the actress playing Roxanne also playing multiple roles takes a little of Roxanne’s specialness away. And although Gabriel Barre is mostly marvelous as Cyrano, speaking the rapid dialogue and moving nimbly in the fight choreography, there is also a level of mischief missing that makes it hard to truly love him, as the audience must.

As with Cy in BURNING, the audience needs to love the Cyrano character, here updated as a lesbian Army veteran struggling with her decision to leave the service rather than keep to the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. Starting up a store/cafe near the Army base, Cy also runs a blog that calls out the military’s failures to stop the epidemic of rape and assault on its servicewomen. Catherine Curtin (of Orange is the New Black) endows Cy with great compassion, anger, and weariness, but just misses that bit of humor that would make this Cyrano character irresistible.

Roxanne (here Rose, played by Shaun Bennet Fauntleroy) and Christian (here Cole, played by Sean Phillips) are both excellent as the objects of affection thwarted by a tongue-tying shyness. Also excellent are the supporting actors who rack up the tension and add a little humor, Zachary Clarence and Chris Ceraso.

BURNING is a wonderful adaptation of the Cyrano tale bringing a contemporary immediacy that makes what has become a hackneyed storyline fresh and exciting again.

- Jean Tait -