Selfish moral abiguity: Design for Living in DC

May 19, 3:14 PMDC Community Theaters ExaminerJamie Hardy

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Shakespeare theatre production poster

Design for Living, a play written by Noël Coward in 1933, is based in the 1920's. It explores issues of sexual morality and human decency that push the viewer to the fringes of society today and were down right illegal in 1933. The production follows the lives of three artists, Otto, Leo and Gilda, from Paris, to London, and ends up in New York. Each city brings a new layer of moral indecency and provocatively abandons social norms - the three willingly and knowingly casting them aside for their own selfish desires.

Social Morality: Gilda finds herself in a tangled love triangle between Otto, whom she lives with in Paris, and Leo, whom she lives with in London. Torn between her love for both men she betrays them each in turn. First cheating on Otto with Leo leaving Otto heartbroken and alone. Then cheating on Leo with Otto - overcome with the inability to deal with the situation she abandons them both and marries a dear old friend. Otto and Leo - closer then ever - are left to console each other. Revived in their relationship they seek out Gilda in New York to claim her for their own. Gilda makes the only decision she can - throwing away the confines of society and morality (that she never much cared for anyway). The three shield themselves from the societal pressures of their actions throughout the play. They wrap their betrayals in declarations of love and proclaime that life is meant to be lived and their morality is their own - as artists they are not bound to any of the traditional societal standards.

Perils and joys of success: The artists formed their closeness as they struggled for success. Leo leaves Otto and Gilda to make it big, and he did. Sweeping Gilda off her feet on his return he revels to the victory of his success. One by one, Otto then Gilda, becomes successful. Each artist richously jealous of the others success, feeling lost and unfulfilled, until they had obtained their own success. The culmination of the ménage à trois is possible only once all three artists are successful - strongly implying the tie between social immorality and success.

The play is filled with wit and humor. The witticism is in full force when the characters are attempting to resolve their emotional toils. Resolved only when the three form their own union and cast aside social norms. But there are consequences, the three offend their servants by their behavior and leave good friends alone and humiliated along the way. One provocative scene after another begs the question - is it better to be selfishly happy and hurt those around you or to stringently follow the rules of society and deny your own happiness to spare the feelings and sensibilities of those around you? The decision in the play is clear - but it leaves you wondering where you stand in the balance of selfish desire and sacrificial denial.

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