Playwright Laura Jacqmin has clearly read her fairy tales, and quite a bit of analysis of them, too. "10 Virgins," her new play currently at Chicago Dramatists, is a dark, feminist fairy tale which constantly undercuts assumptions about women. The play sometimes states its ideas too obviously, but despite its faults, it remains an intellectually stimulating, highly theatrical and consistently absorbing production.
The play concerns 10 sisters living isolated in a swamp—five portrayed by actresses and five by puppets manipulated by onstage puppeteers. They try to maintain a stable life in an unclear world and protect themselves from the witch Jenny Greenteeth (a compelling Penelope Walker). While the eldest, Märchen (Catherine Glynn), tries to find out about the past and the world outside, she encounters resistance from the second-eldest, the rigid Ilsebille (Suellen Burton). Märchen eventually goes to Jenny and finds that all is not as it seems, but the consequences for the sisters are dire.
One character mentions that in all of the fairy tales she read, terrible things happened to women. The play makes this subtext of many fairy tales more explicit. And indeed, the dangerous sexuality of women and the perils of confinement are explored in fascinating ways, but aside from Märchen and Jenny Greenteeth, the characters are painted in broad strokes, and change relatively little during the play.
Still, while needing some work, the play makes for a fascinating evening of theater, with gorgeous puppets designed by Allison Daniel and complex and engaging performances by Walker and Glynn. The idea of looking at women from a perspective that is both modern and mythic is a fascinating one, and I am excited to see how Jacqmin engages with it next.
Reviewed by Centerstage!
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