Wednesday, November 19, 1997
Marshall breathes life into seven characters
THEATER:
As nun, teen and more, actress gives lesson on attractionBy
Kristi Nakamura
Daily Bruin Contributor
Throughout all stages of life, from falling in love for the
first time to discovering true sisterhood to learning how to move
on after the death of a spouse, there is something special that
attracts people to each other. It is nothing tangible, just
something in our genes.
Likewise, there must be something more than bouncy blond curls
and an electric smile that makes solo performer Juliette Marshall
so attractive to audiences.
With her keen perception of the world, and especially of the
women of the world, Marshall delights audiences at the Court
Theater in "Something In Her Genes: A Comical Look At Tight
Situations."
The show features Marshall’s remarkable ability to smoothly
transform herself into a variety of different women, all at
different stages of their lives.
In the 75-minute show, Marshall presents seven different
characters, each comical and tragic in their own neurotic ways.
Although a couple of the accents were a little bit off and some
of the characters were somewhat stereotypical, nearly all of the
women Marshall played were alternatingly over-the-top humorous and
emotionally real.
Carol the nun and Candy the librarian were the only two
characters that seemed too exaggerated and stereotypical. Both
seemed one-dimensional, and neither displayed the deep level of
connection and understanding that Marshall appeared to have with
her other characters.
Of the seven characters, the elderly Jewish widow and Marshall’s
portrayal of herself were executed the best. The way the widow
deals with dating a new man after her husband’s death and finds it
is not a betrayal is touching and emotional. Marshall presents the
widow in a style that allows the audience to laugh and see a funny
side to the situation, even as we empathize with her.
Marshall’s take on her own pre-performance jitters shows that
she does not take herself too seriously and is able to laugh at
herself. At the same time, the experience she recounts is one that
obviously moved her emotionally and spiritually.
Recounting a performance at the Cable Car Theatre in San
Francisco, Marshall finds herself in a dressing room with a group
of gospel singers. She remembers how out-of-place she felt until
they included her in their pre-performance ritual. Marshall shares
this connection with the audience and opens their eyes to a new
level of inner knowledge and sisterhood.
The character Marshall seemed to have bonded with most is
Tiffany, the angst-filled high school student. As a poet looking
for something to believe in, Tiffany was starkly contrasted with
her hyperactive personality and the trouble she gets into at
school.
Although Tiffany is a powerful character, the link between her
artistic side and her trouble-maker school attitude could have been
stronger. The situation would have been more convincing if the
relationship between Tiffany’s poetry and her need for a creative
outlet had been clearer.
Nonetheless, Tiffany confronts many issues relevant for the
public-school system and the painfully realistic problems teenagers
are forced to face everyday. Drugs, friends who overdose and die,
gangs, the administrative searches for students carrying guns, love
and divorce all help to explain why Tiffany is frustrated with a
system that does not teach students what they need to survive and
thrive.
The simple stage, set with only a chair in front of a purple
partition, provides the perfect backdrop to highlight the different
characters. The lack of props allows the audience to concentrate
fully on the characters and helps Marshall set the scene in many
locations.
"Something In Her Genes" appeals not only to the audience’s
sense of sight, but also to its sense of hearing. Appropriately
selected musical choices connect the scenes and set the emotional
tone for each situation.
The music also provides the opportunity for Marshall to showcase
her dance background. She cleanly executes steps derived from many
types of dance to fit the different songs and personalities of the
characters.
The lighting in the theater occasionally makes it difficult to
see everything Marshall does on stage. There are a few moments when
she is cloaked by shadows and others when the lights do not come on
fast enough to catch her leading movements.
Marshall succeeds in the difficult feat of carrying a one-woman
show with her enthusiasm, insight and energy. With a wide spectrum
of characters, Marshall shows that the special something that
attracts others is inherent within us all. The secret and struggles
of love are in our genes.
THEATER: "Something In Her Genes" runs Mondays at 8 p.m. through
Dec. 15 at the Court Theater, 722 N. La Cienega in West Hollywood.
Admission is $12, $10 for students and seniors. For tickets call
(213) 660-8587.
The Court Theatre
Juliette Marshall performs in "Something In Her Genes."