theatre critics

The Russian Play & Mexico City
Two plays  by Hannah Moscovitch
Directed by Christian Barry
2b theatre company & Ruby Slippers
Performance Works
Mar 24 - 28, 2010

Vancouver, BC: It's a tad ironic that the theme of the first play in this production, Mexico City, could be stated as "reality  does  not  always match up to expectations," because this precisely sums up my reaction to this show.

This is why.

I first heard of  young Canadian playwright, Hannah Moscovitch, when I saw her first full length play, East of Berlin a year ago at The Firehall. I was impressed by the "tightly written script" and commented "This is a powerful play. I don't think anyone in the audience moved a muscle throughout the performance. I didn't even hear a cough." East of Berlin  had an engrossing story to tell with strongly drawn characters whose narrative arcs felt real and were emotionally gripping. And I guess, unfairly,  I was expecting more of the same.

The program for this current production of Moscovitch's plays consists of two one-acts: first up is Mexico City, a 25 minute play featuring Henry (Conor Green) and Alice (Tessa Cameron), a young couple vacationing in Mexico City.

After intermission comes The Russian Play, about 47 minutes in length, featuring a ill-fated "love" triangle between Sonya (Colombe Demers), Kostya (Conor Green) and Piotr (Scott Stephenson) unfolding against the gloomy background of Stalinist Russia.

Mexico City is a satirical look at relationships and travel. In both situations there is a gap between what we imagine and what is.  Three years after their honeymoon in Europe Henry and Alice are looking to a holiday in Mexico to rekindle romance in their marriage.  Henry wants to experience the "real Mexico" although he is not quite sure what that is. Alice is determined not to miss any museums featuring the works of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.  Both expect to find their own picture-postcard idea of Mexico. Reality is different.