Big Love
at Westtown School

Reviewed on October 28, 2017

Victoria Kline
Academy of the New Church
Submitted for publication to Philadelphia Inquirer - 1

What is love? How can we reconcile freedom and compromise? How can we keep up when life comes at us so quickly? These are questions that Westtown School's production of Big Love promises to answer.

While Big Love is based on an Ancient Greek script titled The Suppliants, its writer Charles L. Mee proves that issues of the past are still relevant today. Big Love's plot revolves around fifty brides who have left their homeland of Greece to escape an arranged marriage, but little do they know that their oppressors are hot in pursuit. A Romeo and Juliet style battle of the sexes, this post-modern play tackles modern controversies while still presenting timeless themes of freedom, love, and compromise.

Among the brides, three stood out for their strong performances: Cleo Kelleher as Thyona, a fiery feminist determined to stand up for her freedom; Nimmi Kota as passionate Olympia, searching for sweet love; and Maggie Lind as Lydia, thoughtful and upstanding. Each bride played her part with incredible emotion and insight.

On the other side of the divide were the cousins of the brides, who were their fiances, and their unshakable oppressors. Leading this ensemble was the furious Constantine, played by Isaiah Fernandez. Fernandez managed to exude intensity and anger while still showing his character's humanity, making clear his motive and reasoning. Tray Hammond played Nikos, engaged to marry Lydia, his tenderness and passion a dramatic contrast to Constantine's hatred.

Backing the emotive cast was an incredibly intricate set. A peaceful villa sat among the mountainsides of Italy, illustrated through rocks giving the illusion of floating. Music was added in a variety of ways: drummers played in the wings, a guitarist sang from above the stage, and the cast themselves performed musical numbers. The actor and actresses all spoke clearly and loudly without the help of mics, and although the digitally added sound sometimes overwhelmed, errors were quickly addressed.

Fraught with emotion and impressive gravitas, Westtown School's production of Big Love provided a commentary on hatred and love, tradition and freedom, and proved that "out of all human qualities, sympathy is the greatest."

Hannah Cohen
PA Leadership Charter School's Center for Performing & Fine Arts
Submitted for publication to Philadelphia Inquirer - 2

The Westtown School just closed their run of Big Love by Charles Mee. In this show, 50 sisters are running away to avoid marrying their 50 cousins against their will. Mee's play explores the issues of gender roles, and the difference between being feminist and being anti-men. You leave the theatre with the reminder that gender is not a competition, but it is supposed to be an even playing field.

The first impression upon walking into the theatre at Westtown was the beautiful set. An elegant Italian porch and a rock formation were crafted by Reena Bradley. These sets painted a wonderful scene for the show to take place in. Make up was also designed by a students, which was especially notable for the old woman in the show, Bella, whose wrinkles looked very natural from the distance of the audience. The show started off with student Jay Scott singing a song and playing guitar. This also happened a few times throughout the show, adding to certain moments in the play with music.

As for the performance elements, the leading couple, Lydia (Maggie Lind) and Nikos (Tray Hammond), had great chemistry on stage. Lind did begin the show with rather dry responses and seemed to lack listening to her scene partners, the acting soon picked up and was carried out well for the rest of the show. Another fine stage pairing was that of Eleanor (Maddie Lippa) and Leo (Nkosi Johnson-Thornton) The contrast of Eleanor's spunk and Leo's calm swagger made for a light-hearted lift in spirits whenever they entered the stage.

Thyona (Cleo Kelleher), was certainly the most willful, determined, and passionate woman in the cast. Her constant yelling may not have been the most effective choice, but her point was conveyed, and Thyona is certainly not a girl you want to cross once she has her mind set on something. Her counterpart, Constantine (Isaiah Fernandez), was also a strong-willed character, and they made great competition for each other on stage. You begin the show thinking that the men are the villains, after Fernandez delivers a powerful monologue about the vicious cycle of gender roles, and it is at that moment where the theme of equality rather than competition really pulls through.

Two notable featured actors were Bella (Rubi Rivas) and the Butler (David Feng). Rivas portrayed Bella beautifully with a solid balance of grandmotherly sweetness as well as a feisty honesty. She spoke wisely, and could also make the audience laugh. Not to mention, she held a very consistent Italian accent. The Butler was the character the audience kept talking about after the show. With his subtle expressions and movements, Feng managed to get the whole house laughing without saying a word. He provided the perfect pinch of humor needed to tie together this comedic tragedy.

Amanda Clark
PA Leadership Charter School's Center for Performing & Fine Arts
Submitted for publication to GPC Website Review 3

Westtown School recently performed a production of "Big Love", written by the playwright Charles Mee. This piece is a fascinating surrealist adaptation of Aeschylus's play, "The Suppliants", written about fifty unwilling brides-to-be who flee their grooms on their wedding day. It examines topics that are central in our day, specifically provoking reflection on the interplay between gender roles in marriage and society.

The actors were primarily split into three categories-- the brides, the grooms, and the inhabitants of the Italian villa. The interplay between the actors in these ensembles and between the ensembles themselves was very fascinating, specifically in scenes that involved large amounts of physicality. In these moments, one was able to see the connection between the actors, which created a collaborative dynamic and drove the development of themes such as love and loyalty.

Many actors among these groups stood out among for their dedication to their characters and the message they hoped to portray. One such actor was Isaiah Fernandez, who played the character Constantine with overwhelming passion and groundedness. Isaiah sought to read and affect his scene partners, rather than simply focusing on the way he verbalized the lines on a page. Another standout was actress Rubi Rivas, whose strong dialect, comedic timing, and connection to her character's history led to the development of a beautifully multi-dimensional character even in a somewhat smaller role.

The technical elements of this show, predominantly the set, were executed extremely well. This play requires a set that hints at the surrealist style of the piece but also remains functional and simple so as not to distract from the storyline itself. Westtown's Reena Bradley created an atmosphere that did just that, with an intricately designed Italian villa stage right, rooting the audience to the setting of the show, and a bathtub standing on a boulder stage left, symbolizing the desire of the women to cleanse and unchain themselves from the men seeking to force them into marriage. These elements, combined with Michael Campbell's rocks hanging down from the ceiling, created a space that was thought-provoking in itself, encouraging audience members to test the boundaries of society's traditional views from the very moment they stepped into the space.

The passion of Westtown's students for gender equality and the acceptance of all forms of love was evident in their work on "Big Love". This production truly had the capacity to leave one deep in thought on the future of gender in our culture, demonstrating art's overwhelming power to reshape society through the exploration of our challenges.

Hope Odhner
Academy of the New Church
Submitted for publication to GPC Website Review 4

Does the need for freedom justify a broken promise? The story of Big Love, performed by Westtown School, ponders pain, vows, and human needs in a memorable show about men and women.

Based on The Suppliant Women, Big Love by Charles Mee addresses human struggles that have resonated with audiences for centuries. The story takes place in modern-day Italy, opening with the entrance of several disheveled brides who have fled arranged marriages in Greece. Fifty in total, and all sisters, they entreat the help of Piero and his family, whose home they find themselves at. Shortly after follows the appearance of the brides' betrothed husbands. The following ninety minutes relate to the audience the overwhelming strife of suppressed women, and the equal longing of men craving a wife, as the two parties clash in the battle for independence and love.

The cast of Big Love bravely strived to bring life to Charles Mee's enigmatic script. Music, courtesy of Jay Scott and a few cast members, was well placed, adding vital emotion to dialogue. Performing on a captivating set, they employed diverse mediums to convey a difficult theme. At times the show seemed incohesive, but in ways the abrasive quality lent itself to the portrayal of the sudden twists and turns of life.

The show centered on the contrasting characters of three main brides, Lydia, Thyona, and Olympia, played by Maggie Lind, Cleo Kelleher, and Nimmi Kota respectively. Lind brought poise to her part, while Kelleher's vehement passion opposed the endearing innocence of Kota. The raw passion of the actresses peaked in an exotic scene in which they hurled themselves to the ground in a mesmerizing rhythm. The grooms were led by the natural savagery of Isaiah Fernandez depicting Constantine, and by backed Tray Hammond's earnest authenticity as Nikos.

Backing the leads was an array of energetic characters. Rubi Rivas brought humor and wisdom to the stage in her portrayal of the charming elder, Bella. Stephen Blair, as Giuliano, added his quirky charm, as well as his rich vocals. David Feng could be counted on to keep the audience chuckling with his solemn performance of the Butler, despite having no lines. The comedy of the supporting cast brought relief from the heartfelt monologues of the leads, which were at times delivered with such fervor that the distinction between significant moments and lesser ones was lost.

Reena Bradley, set designer, created an enchanting and engaging foundation for the play. The attention to detail and depth blurred the lines between reality and theater. The extraordinary demands of the script were met admirably, and bathtub somehow seemed at home on an Italian terrace, true to the peculiar description given by Charles Mee. Michael Campbell's addition of prominent rocks, hovering serenely in the background, brought suspension of disbelief to the literal sense. The props, created by Adrian Carnes, were interactive and exciting in their use.

A show full of unexpected twists, and thought-provoking controversies, Big Love is a play to remember. With emotion and dedication, the cast of Westtown gave the audience an experience that would stay with them.