The battle of the sexes is on display in new and disturbing ways in Production Workshop's rendition of "The Father," written by August Strindberg and directed by Pannill Camp GS.
The 19th-century Swedish playwright's first work tells the story of a power struggle between husband and wife, man and woman, over the family domain. At the start, Captain Adolph and his wife Laura argue about what's best for their daughter, Bertha - both parents want complete control over family decisions. This disagreement inspires Laura to spread rumors about Adolph's mental health and to plant a seed of doubt in Adolph's mind about his paternity of Bertha, both of which drive him to the brink of destruction.
Strindberg's work is caught between realism and surrealism, and Camp's choices highlight this contrast. At appropriate moments, the lighting changes from white to blue, sound cues usher in birds chirping to new-age music and actors freeze in dramatic positions.
Some of the play's content seems outdated at first. The question of Adolph's paternity, after all, would be obsolete with the introduction of DNA testing. But Camp does a decent job of not letting the play's age get in the way of showcasing the core properties and fundamental problems of a traditional family - discontented regardless of the times.
The stage's setup is brilliant. There are fighting metaphors written into almost every page of the play, whether warfare or boxing, and the production's set design complements these metaphors perfectly.
The main stage is a square platform with a black railing placed around, mimicking a boxing ring. An innovative and meaningful addition to this platform is its ability to be cranked higher and higher each time the narrative escalates.
Behind the boxing ring are two antique desks where the inactive actors form a backdrop of spectators. In one corner are the men, and in the other, the women, which visually reminds the audience how adversarial the sexes are in this play. Guns and roses are even strategically placed beside one gender or the other to reinforce stereotypes.
And credit must be given to whoever thought to brew actual steaming, piping hot coffee during the play - but not to whoever decided to evoke the image of crucifixion at the play's end.
Though the entire cast demonstrates solid talent, the show's lead appropriately stands out as an exemplary performer. Matthew Biagini '05 as Captain Adolph is amusingly snide yet explosively angry when necessary, conveying a deeply troubled character without being overdramatic.
The only performance that does not settle well is that of Margaret, played by Christie Gibson '06. She tries to play Adolph's old wet nurse as a frumpy, breathy Ingrid Bergman and ends up radiating blandness.
If many well-presented rounds of male-female fighting sound like an enriching night of theater, then "The Father" is a must-see.
