It is hard to describe Compass Rose Theater’s production of Venus in Fur except as awesome in the original sense of inspiring awe. Written by David Ives and first appearing off-Broadway in 2010, then on Broadway in 2011, the play features two actors on a nearly bare stage. This version, directed by Lucinda Merry-Browne, combines excellent acting and directing with inventive sound and lighting. It is a wonderful choice to open Compass Rose’s 8th season.
Read MoreVenus in Fur
Description
A female actor bursts into a rehearsal room, late for an audition. A male director decides to audition her even though she is late. It is a choice he will regret. The tense, erotic dance which follows ends in chaos. We cannot even blink as the action unfolds. A play pared down to two actors in a rehearsal room reveals the raw essence of theater.
“Venus in Fur sparks with the friction of two buttoned-up people in an erotic power play who challenge, resist and disagree with each other even while bound by mutual sexual attraction.“ -David Ives, playwright.