In The Next Room - Woolly Mammoth Theatre

Sam and I ushered together at the Woolly Mammoth for the first time and what a great show to work at. This play by Sara Ruhl is a tale of gender norms, from the late Victorian era, but the stereotypes and emotions echo into the present day. Of course, the other device here is the story of how a vibrator was originally applied by medical science of the age and the sexual hilarity that ensued. One good way to tell the success of a play I think is to measure how long the discussion after wards lasts. Sam and I talked about the play the entire drive back and stayed up for a while discussing it too.

We came to the conclusion that the laughter generated by the sexual innuendo serves to break the ice in the audience, opening them up to receive some of the other messages. Because this play was far more than a sexual comedy. It was a play about the loneliness people experience even in their relationships, and how we can shut ourselves off from each other, how sometimes our spouse can be a complete stranger we share a home with.

The actors in the play were phenomenal. The actress that played Mrs Givings, Katie DeBuys, was especially brilliant in a difficult role as her character must come across as flighty, but with moments of emotional outbursts.

We also had a great time ushering, for I think the first time, ending up with great seats practically sitting on the stage. Some of the other ushers were enthusiastic about some of the other plays by Sara Ruhl which apparently Woolly Mammoth has put on, so we look forward to seeing others too.