What begins with the surge and unity of purpose of an uplifting SST levels off quickly for a more modest if colorful vantage of deceitfulness in the La Jolla Playhouse’s world premiere (through August 19) of The Deception, a new adaptation of Marivaux’s La Fausse Suivante. Based on one of the 18th century French dramatist’s lesser-known works, Deception has no shortage of modern relevance – with potential for referencing everything from minor self-deception to cover-ups on a global scale. Here we keep it personal: sexual confusion and duplicitous relationships designed for profit or self-protection.
A woman (Merritt Janson), whose name we never learn, was affianced to Lelio (Casey Greig), a charismatic dowry-hound. To determine firsthand his worthiness for the healthy annual stipend her treasury would provide, she poses as a Chevalier to befriend him man to man. She seeks the help of a servant, Trivelin (J.C. Cutler), who is so refreshingly open about his reliance on guile that he quickly sees the woman within the man’s clothing, and rises to the call in hopes of their removal. Chevalier learns that Lelio is previously engaged to a Countess (Emily Gunyou Harris), whose estate would pay only half the allowance hers promises. Lelio woefully confides to his new best friend that a prenup means he stands to lose the handsome signing bonus he received from the Countess, plus pay a devastating penalty if he reneges on his vows to bachelorette number one. The Chevalier offers to win the Countess’s heart away from Lelio so that she will break the contract and free him to reap elsewhere.
Line for line, the new adaptation by director Dominique Serrand and Steven Epp is lively and rich. It is played out against a beautiful glass house set (with its inherent warning about people who throw shit), with floor to ceiling panes, each “soaped” in a pastoral palette of spring blues, greens and yellows. There is no further set dressing or props. The weight to keep things interesting and informing falls upon the actors and the text and over the course of the evening the grinding out of all the subterfuge gets a little wearying.
J.C. Cutler kicks things off as Trivelin with a presence that promises a production of among the year's finest. There’s the kind of command and attraction one expects to find along the Thames (or, perhaps the Seine). Joined by Janson, believably boyish early on but sensuously womanly after shedding her menswear, the excitement is maintained. Sonya Berlovitz’s costumes – all creams, whites, blacks, and grays to set the players off against the field – adds to the anticipation. The angled hem of Janson's frock suggests her double-sidedness.
Article comments
1 - Yury Miller
I can speak only for what I saw before the intermission since my wife and I left after that. It was a very poor direction and the anemic performance, disgusting at times. Especially disappointing after the gorgeous Carmen we saw few weeks earlier at the same theatre.
2 - Kerry Ringle
Dreadfull, Poor direction, interesting set but under utilized, poor lighting, unintelligible sounds that weren't relevent, spuratic movement by the actors that seemed an attempt to add life to a flat script. Wish I had left after the first act.
3 - JDB
I cannot review the second act because we left after the first. My wife and I are members and see every play at LJPH. This is the first time we have ever left after the first act. No character development, No projection, No entertainment value. This only character with any redeeming value is Trivelin (J.C. Cutler). As the Aussie's say "what a waste of tucker".".