Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play is so different from any other drama, it takes a while to recognize that what it’s saying isn’t very innovative. Orgasms are nice, and can even be cathartic. Workaholic husbands aren’t very satisfying partners. Women have as much right to sexual pleasure as do men. Quality time can be crucial to a good relationship.
Does any of this surprise you?
Revolutionize your sense of romance? Well, that’s the paradox of Ruhl’s drama — it always looks like it’s about to say something really startling, but only offers these platitudes from the Ladies’ Home Journal. I’m a fan of Ruhl’s best plays — Eurydice and The Clean House — but in those cases she truly creates something novel, a unique form and its unfamiliar content. Next Room, on the other hand, was already obsolete in the 1970s, when feminists like Germaine Greer and Shere Hite were trumpeting women’s libido and clitoral stimulation. The play, at freeFall Theatre, is still fun to watch — director Lisa Powers Tricomi and costumer Eric Davis could hardly do better — but what a lot of work for so little payoff! Seldom has the obvious been decked out so imaginatively.
Next Room takes place in the 1880s, and centers on Dr. Givings, a specialist in women’s ailments. The earnest doctor has recently introduced an electric vibrator into his practice, and is discovering that when it’s carefully applied to a female patient, it can rapidly lead to a “paroxysm,” and the eventual disappearance of “hysteria.” He tries the device on harried Mrs. Daldry, who not only enjoys the healing she’s after, but demands, rather excitedly, that the treatments continue for many days. After a while, the doctor’s wife becomes curious about the therapy taking place in the next room, and begins her own investigations of her husband’s electrical wonder. Other encounters begin to impact the increasingly distressed doctor’s wife. When a blocked painter shows up with what may be male hysteria, Mrs. Givings learns that her marriage isn’t just sexually broken — it’s also emotionally fractured. And when wet nurse Elizabeth leaves Mrs. Daldry feeling unnecessary as a mother, it becomes increasingly certain that something’s got to give, and soon. When it does, there’s no telling who’ll be left standing.
Christopher Swan is Dr. Givings, and once again he turns in a splendid performance. Does this guy ever make a wrong choice? His good doctor is sincere, chipper, insensitive, the type of professional whose indifference is to some women an aphrodisiac. What he’s got is drive, diligence, and decency; what he lacks is candor, spontaneity, passion. As his unhappy wife, Nichole Hamilton is desperately out of touch with herself, aware that she has the life she always wanted, but not at all sure why she doesn’t, therefore, have happiness. Reminding her that not all men are as obtuse as her husband is Drew Valins as artist Leo, a dashing figure out of La Bohème who dares speak to her of the great unfinished canvases of Michelangelo, reminding her that she too is a great unfinished canvas. Valins was wonderful a couple of months ago in The Whipping Man at Gorilla Theatre; he’s just as good at freeFall, and very funny to boot. Speaking of fun, Meg Heimstead is a delight as Mrs. Daltry, who walks into Dr. Givings’ office as an emotional wreck, but soon finds ecstatic release, thanks to the doctor and Thomas Edison. And as the wet nurse whose successes make Mrs. Givings feel ever more inadequate, Trenell Mooring is compassionate and unstinting in her love. Other fine performances are offered by Bonnie Agan as dependable doctor’s assistant Annie, and Brian Shea as Mr. Daldry, most clueless husband of the 19th century.
Like all freeFall productions, this one looks good: Scott Cooper’s handsome set shows us two antique rooms, one for living and one for doctor’s business; and Eric Davis’ period costumes are completely persuasive; corsets, bloomers, and men’s long underwear included. But what’s really on show here: a daring succès de scandale or some old articles in a yellowed Cosmo? I’m afraid it’s the latter. In the Next Room would have been unthinkable in 1880, but by 1980 it was old hat. Yes, orgasms are okay. Even for women. And vibrators work.
But it’s hard to get excited about the usual information.
This article appears in May 10-16, 2012.
