Review: 'Playhouse Creatures' has Wit, Spark... but not Coherence, Connection

"Playhouse Creatures," now being performed by Burbage Theatre Company in partnership with Womenswork Theatre Collaborative, features some sparkling performances, but never comes alive the way it should.

The play takes place in 17th-century London. A group of actresses deal with harassment, as well as their own rivalries and insecurities in the world of theater. There is conflict between the actresses over which roles to play in shows; the competition becomes fierce, and not everyone goes home a winner. Show business proves to be quite brutal for some.

Lorraine Guerra is vibrant and likable as Nell Gwyn, the newcomer of the group. Rae Mancini ("Edward II") and Autumn Jefferson ("BLKS") play Rebecca Marshall and Elizabeth Farley, the seasoned professionals. Paula Faber ("The Oldest Profession") is the strong-willed Mary Betterton, the wife of the theater's owner. Lynne Collinson is the wildly acerbic Doll Common, who is tasked with assisting the ladies with hair, wardrobe, and other matters.

Unfortunately, the play is hamstrung by its episodic structure. For too much of the time, we see the actresses performing on stage in various plays of the era. Two or three of these scenes would've been enough. A dozen becomes tedious to sit through.

Where "Playhouse Creatures" really comes alive is in the backstage interactions between this eclectic group of women. Farley demands to be paid more money for her work until she is reminded by Betterton that "art is a calling."

Faber is stoic and determined as Betterton and gets to quote Lady MacBeth. She expresses her frustration about being limited in the roles she gets to play. Collinson steals every scene with her sharp comic timing.

Doll is a deeply cynical woman prone to uttering acid-tinged pronouncements about life in the theater, such as the observation, "We all end up dead meat." Doll shares a traumatic childhood memory about her time in the "bear pit," which was what existed in the space before its transition to a theater. In that moment, Collinson brings this woman's vulnerabilities to the surface, and it is mesmerizing to watch.

Writer April De Angelis notes the sexism and the emotional abuse which actresses, and women in general, still have to endure on a daily basis. The dialogue is gritty, often profane, and the characters are all clearly defined.

Director MJ Daly, who starred in last year's "Witch," shows flair with arranging set pieces. Marshall takes her revenge after being assaulted by repeatedly sticking a pin in a candle, which represents the man who hurt her. It's an act born from pure rage and Mancini plays it powerfully.

"Playhouse Creatures" isn't a bad show, just disappointing. De Angelis never allows us to feel a connection with these actresses. They are fiery, passionate, wounded by life, but we never learn why they are driven to spend their lives performing for strangers. As a result, the feeling is one of emptiness when the lights go down.

"Playhouse Creatures runs through February 25. Burbage Theatre Company. 59 Blackstone Avenue, Pawtucket, RI. For tickets, call 401-484-0355 or visit burbagetheatre.org.