"prostitution"
In "Wife/Worker/Whore," an invigorating drama currently being showcased at Hole in the Wall Theater, the concept of "prostitution," as viewed through the lens of playwright Kirsten Easton-Hazzaa is documented through a clever, well-versed blueprint of plotting, characterization, story arcs, dialogue and uniform gender definition that lets the ongoing story rip, gesticulate and roar with committed, ironic and explicit abandon.
This is theatre.
Real theatre. Raw theatre.
Fresh.
Celebratory.
Immersive.
Dead serious.
Claret-soaked.
It's wanting to know what happens next that makes "Wife/Worker/Whore" matter.
As with other productions staged at Hole in the Wall - "She Kills Monsters," "Day of Absence," "Barbeque," to name a few - "Wife/Worker/Whore" waltzes to its own decided beat.
It's a play.
It has a beginning, middle and end.
It has a story to tell.
It is full of surprise, wonder, commitment and theatrical command.
But with Easton-Hazzaa at the helm, the catch - and a very good one at that - is that everything that takes place from conversations to conflicts - unfolds with a voyeuristic, eavesdropping consciousness that heightens the play's appeal, its engagement and its myriad of three intertwined stories.
As storyteller, she gets it right at every single turn.
As the play evolves, a newly married young bride, a determined, career-minded policewoman and a high-class call girl find themselves moving ahead though situations that force them to prostitute themselves in marriage, in the bedroom, through sexual fantasy or in steamy encounters at the workplace.
Alas, the message is delivered through crisp writing, psychological nuance, imaginative positioning and direct, in-your-face perspective.
It's an observed process - natural and free-flowing - that captures the essence of every character involved, their quirks and mannerisms, their thoughts and fears, their fantasies and the very world they live in.
That dynamic is continued through observed, well-placed dialogue, a strong sense of playwrighting savvy and individualism, specific connection and examination and the ultimate showdown that comes from making one's own choices and decisions regardless of the consequences.
Staging "Wife/Worker/Whore," Easton-Hazzaa conjures up a fluid and hypnotic theatrical piece (the play was originally performed in 2016 at Southern Illinois University as part of her "Master's of Fine Arts in Playwriting" thesis) that embraces her already proven material with emotional kick, savvy, moment-to-moment reflection and fully realized wattage. Given the play's intricate structure, there's a lot going on. Nine characters. Three different stories.
Nonetheless, it's all seamlessly orchestrated through choice, clever staging and blocking maneuvers that thrust the action forward and build the necessary heat, momentum and fantasy to make the material fly, resonate, surprise and excite the theatergoer.
Directorially, there's not a halt or hiccup throughout the two-act presentation. It's all been carefully rehearsed and locked into place with lighting cues, scene changes, entrances and exits timed and played out to the millisecond.
There's edge. There's humor. There's sarcasm. There's showboating. There's truth. There's aggression. There's disappointment. There's curiosity. The atmospheric set itself, impeccably designed by Bill Arnold with able assist from Angelina Savelli (scenic design/collaging) and Maranda Gallo (props and set dressing), is utilized to full effect by Easton-Hazza with well-timed flourish, accent and functional plot spanning linked to both time, place and narrative.
"Wife/Worker/Whore" stars Kerrie Maguire as Scarlett, Marie R. Altenor as Liz, Sarah Etkin as Donna, Terrance J. Peters as Frankie, Jamie Reopell as Morris, Carlos Holden as Eddy, John Garfield as Javier, Eliza Croarkin as Baby and Eleanor Faraguna as Lynn.
Kerrie Maguire, in the role of Scarlett, offers an inspired, cutting-edge performance emitted with an expertly played charisma, charm and confidence that dominates the production every time she's on stage. It's a role she invests with honesty, truth, edge and desperation, always going the extra mile in the most naturalistic of ways. As Liz, Scarlett's brash, street-smart employer and sometimes confidante, Marie R. Altenor delivers such a dynamic, masterful characterization, you never once doubt her madam role, her character's back history or her long-term investment in prostitution and everything it has to offer. John Garfield's apt, defined and well-rounded portrayal of Javier, a businessman anxious to act out his own sexual fantasies with the right girl, is lensed with just the right amount of strong feeling, depth and erotically charged investment.
Cast as Frankie, a newly married, middle-class blue-collar worker, Terrance J. Peters has the right mix of toughness, command and mystery to capture the character's elusive, shifty spirit. As "Wife/Worker/Whore" progresses, Peters' expressive, multi-layered performance shifts gears with raw accomplishment and energy, which, in turn, heightens the big reveal of Frankie's story (no spoilers, here) halfway through the second act. In the role of Frankie's wife Baby and Lynn, his feisty sister-in-law, Eliza Croarkin and Eleanor Faraguna figure prominently in the evolution of Frankie's quirky tale and its surprise conclusion.
Sarah Etkin's portrayal of Donna, a policewoman who uses sex solely for both enjoyment and job advancement, is searingly electric inked with callous perfection, minute-by-minute calculation and up the ante tilt, compromise and swirl. As an actress, her work is enthralling, determined and chock full of surprise. Equally impressive are Jamie Reopell (Morris) and Carlos Holden (Eddy), two very important, talented actors whose characters who play key roles in Donna's evolution at the precinct. Throughout the play, they are in top form deftly emphasizing the key components of the drama at hand, their individual characterizations and their role in Donna's provocative story.
A compelling, passionate drama, powerfully written and staged by director Kirsten Easton-Hazzaa, "Wife/Worker/Whore" is a potent, intense work fraught with seamless, sustained expression and argument that complements and reflects its looming, lived-in, verbal, buzzy workout.
As theatre, it is effective. It is authentic. It is deepening. It is personal. It is edgy. It is invigorating.
There's also a boundless spark and energy to the piece which the entire Hole in the Wall cast embraces with livewire understanding, wit and pathos that complements and justifies the whip smart story at hand.
And when it's over, the playwright's words, thoughts and revelations linger. They haunt the mind. They prompt debate. They hover with bemusement. They create a chill from which there is no escape.
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