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Cloud 9 by Diversionary Theatre 
How things change over a century, and how things stay the same. Cloud 9 explores the sexual mores and taboos of English society in 1880 (Act One) and 1980 (Act Two) with hilarious, dramatic, and often shocking frankness, taking things to the ultimate extreme, at times leaving you wondering whether to laugh or cringe. I did both.
Act One takes place on an English estate in Africa in 1880, the height of the Victorian Age, and the height of sexual repression. At least, the subject of "sex" as a topic of conversation was repressed. The act was not repressed, and certainly not by this sexually deviant group. Virtually no taboos are left unscathed, and about the only type of relations not being practiced are those between husband and wife! Act Two takes place in London in 1980 with some of the same characters, although they have only aged about 25 years and are played by different actors. They are still exploring all kinds of new forms of copulation. The long passage of time has seen some relaxing in societal attitudes toward the "S" word, but you can see the characters only timidly voicing this increased acceptance and new attitudes -- the Victorian unspoken rule of "don't ask, don't tell" stubbornly clinging on. Director Brendon Fox has assembled the perfect cast for these unusual roles, each member taking on two or three completely different roles between the two acts, and Costume Designer Shulamit Nelson has designed and created terrific period outfits (the complicated but elegant 1880 clothing as well as the stylish yet dated fashions of 1980) to put the cast members in. The first act, set in 1880, hoards most of the comedy as the melodramatically portrayed characters jump between outward purity and private debauchery. David Radford magnificently portrays the arrogant, boisterous, chauvinistic man of the house who tries to keep his wife in her place, his young son Edward from being too feminine, his bastard son from one of his slaves at his side, his mistress close at hand, and his friend Harry (Manuel J. Fernandes) at a safe, acceptable distance. Adam Edwards is a riot as David's wife who tries so hard to fit into the role prescribed to her by her husband, keep her husband's friend Harry at a safe (but fairly close) distance, keep her perpetually frowning and busybody mother (performed by Jessa Watson with her priceless expressions of disgust and anger) at a much further distance, all the while fending off the advances of her man-hating maid (DeAnna Driscoll). Lisel M. Gorell is thoroughly convincing and absolutely hilarious as the young, effeminate Edward who abounds with childlike enthusiasm, at times throwing herself in a pouty rage onto the floor (with the bruises on her knees to prove how hard she throws herself) and at other times jumping onto, over, and all around her favorite person in the world -- the very popular Harry Bagley. And playing Edward's younger sister Victoria is a rag doll who gets recklessly thrown about by the adults as they feign love for the child one minute and toss it aside with disinterest the next. That brother and sister become the central characters in Act Two. Edward is a middle-aged man played by David Radford (the father of the first act). No longer the boisterous, macho father, David now plays the meek, sensitive, gay Edward. Lisel, who was Edward in the first act, is now the grown-up Victoria who is having marital difficulties. The outrageous comedy and farce of the first act gets immediately replaced with a far more serious look at people trying to forge stronger romantic and familial relationships while at the same time doing further exploration of the sexual frontiers. Joining Edward and Victoria in this exploration is Jessa Watson as Victoria's lesbian love interest (with a great appearance by Jeremy Shepard as Jessa's obnoxious daughter Cathy), Adam Edwards as the outwardly callous but inwardly caring punk rocker who is fallen for by both Edward and his mother Betty (now played by DeAnna Driscoll). DeAnna, as Betty, is the only link to the adults of 1880, and it is in many ways through her marvelous performance that we see the slow struggle to change -- and the struggle to keep things as they were -- played out. Rob Hopper ~ Cast ~
Clive/Edward: David Radford Betty/Gerry: Adam Edwards Joshua/Cathy: Jeremy Shepard Edward/Victoria: Lisel M. Gorell Maude/Lin: Jessa Watson Ellen/Mrs. Saunders/Betty: Deanna Driscoll Harry Bagley/Martin: Manuel J. Fernandes Director: Brendon Fox Scenic Designer: David Weiner Lighting Designer: Jennifer Setlow Costume Designer: Shulamit Nelson Sound Designer: George Ye Stage Manager: Bret Young |
