I love to see a show at 59 E 59. An off-Broadway house that is bustling with different productions, the managers there do the smart thing and stagger the start time of shows. Just 15 minutes does make all the difference.
I had heard about the new piece, The Housewives of Mannheim. It was getting a good buzz and some pretty outstanding reviews. Didn't know much about it, except that it took place in Flatbush, Brooklyn during the war.
Upon entering the 3rd floor theater, the great looking set and fabulous music of that era greets you.
We are already prepared for a journey back in time, but not necessarily for the stimulating arc of the play.
I noticed that the audience members were mainly seniors; lots of white and gray haired ladies and gentlemen were scattered about the house.
But soon, it seemed apparent to me, that a young audience should come to see this show. Especially young women. They need to understand that a scant few years ago, (in the scheme of the time continuum) women were not afforded the opportunities they are today. Women's roles then were so clearly defined and they were never to question whether they were happy or content, let alone whether those roles suited them.
The four women in The Housewives of Mannheim shatter our thought process with their discussions, philosophies, conflicts and desires.
The central character, May, is strangely happy that she is on her own and her husband, as is most of the husbands in the building, away at war. Most of the women were simply biding time till "the men get home," but May, hesitatingly and with great innocence allows herself to open up to different ideas...until they became too threatening.
I don't want to reveal what the play is about. But I do want to tell you to see it, before it closes.
This play operates on many, many different levels. Given the backdrop of WW 2 in Europe, when so many people followed a regime, without question and without thought, the story that takes place in the Flatbush apartment house parallels those who choose to close off their intellect. This play suggests the brilliance of a woman's desire to be an expansive individual who burns to let the light in.
The Housewives of Mannheim is a very well written piece about a caged woman's soul. I was surprised to learn that it was written by a man, Alan Brody. Well directed by SuzAnne Barabas, The Housewives of Mannheim enjoyed its world premier at the New Jersey Rep, and is happily playing out it's New York run at 59 E 59.
Go and see for yourself, through June 6th.
http://59e59.org
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