Review of Miss Magnolia Beaumont Goes to Provincetown
Miss Magnolia Beaumont Goes to Provincetown
Written and Performed by Joe Hutcheson
Reviewed by Chief Critic David Roberts for Theatre Reviews Limited
The (otherwise) well-crafted press release for Miss Magnolia Beaumont Goes to Provincetown oddly describes Mr. Hutcheson's brilliant monologue as "a modern comic fantasy celebrating the beauty and magic of Provincetown." Unless this reviewer was snoozing on the beach with Master Joseph, this must-see monologue is actually a modern allegory celebrating the beauty, magic and romance of solitude and "being alone." But this same reviewer digresses.
Master Joseph is the thirty-three year old gay (and single) birthday boy on his way to celebrate the milestone in (yes, possums) Provincetown. If the reader gets the Dame Edna 'possums' reference, you will enjoy the rest of the review. If not, hopefully you will still enjoy the balance of the review with some unavoidable gaps in understanding. On the train from the Master's (hold that thought, please) abode in Manhattan to his Provincetown playground, the audience is introduced to the Civil War debutante Miss Magnolia Beatrice Devaraux Beaumont. After meeting her demise in the 1861 Heimlich-Maneuver-less choking on the relentless meat of a pork rib, Magnolia finds herself suddenly inhabitating Master Joseph's birthday body on Joesph's way to P-town.
The audience is privy to both the voice of Joseph and his resident ghost and alter ego Miss Magnolia as they take the almost-round-trip from Manhattan to Provincetown. 'Almost' because Miss Magnolia does not quite make it back to Manhattan. Why she does not make it all the way back to Manhattan is, possums and other readers, a secret. What is not a secret is that all readers must make reservations to see this remarkable and well-crafted performance by Joe Hutcheson.
Suffice it to say that just as Miss Magnolia died after choking on a piece of pork rib, Joseph is slowly but surely choking to death on a frightening inner voice of fear of his fear of spending the rest of his life alone (and other fear-inducing phantoms). Although Magnolia slowly integrates more fully with Joseph's persona, this is not to be a Doppleganger discourse. Magnolia realizes she has a mission to complete before she finds heaven (although, for a time, heaven seems to be on earth). The marvelous monologue (really a dialogue) reveals how she achieves her celestial goal and how she facilitates her Master's redemption and release from his fear of fear. And all of this theatre magic involves a kite!
Have my readers, gay and straight and bi and transexual, had their Fringe appetites sufficiently whetted? Hopefully! See this performance before it closes or, if you are a producer, have the sense to book it in the near future.
Have my possums been paying attention? Have you held the thought about Master Joseph? Miss Magnolia dies a debutante in the Civil War South. She (unfortunately) knows the distinction between master and slave. Why does she call Joseph 'Master" (besides civilized convention)? How might her funky phantasma serve her host's future? Inquiring minds will find out at the Cherry Lane.
As we left the theatre, my partner Joseph and I reflected that we were happy that Miss Magnolia had found her hoped-for heaven. However, we also admitted by the time we reached the sidewalk that we already missed her.
Written and performed by Joe Hutcheson. Directed by Cheryl King. Original staging by DB Levin. Lighting and sound by Ellen Rosenberg. Presented by Cheryl King Productions as part of the 2010 New York International Fringe Festival at The Studio at Cherry Lane Theatre (Venue #15), 38 Commerce Street (7th Avenue and Hudson Street) in Manhattan. Remaining performances: Tuesday, August 17 at 9:00 p.m.; Friday, August 20 at 9:15 p.m.; Tuesday, August 24 at 5:45 p.m.; and Thursday, August 26 at 2:45 p.m. Running time is approximately 75 minutes. Production contains brief non-frontal nudity. Tickets: $15.00 (This production is not available for $9.00 on tdf.org). For tickets visit fringenyc.org or call 866-468-7619. Information: www.MissMagnoliaBeaumont.com. />
Permalink | Posted by David Roberts on Saturday, August 14, 2010
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