If the idea of a theatre company based on female empowerment and creating opportunities for female stage combat sounds a little too “Xena: Warrior Princess” for you, fear not: The Lady Cavalier Theatre Company doesn’t use leather miniskirts to get its “women-can-kick-butt-too” message across. Well, at least not in this production.
The Lady Cavaliers: Signature Stories is a unique work by a unique group. Actually 5 short plays, all written by Peter Hilton, the evening presents a variety of women as weapon-wielders, and provides a thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable experience for the audience.
The best plays include ‘A Silent Exchange’ and ‘Contestant 325’. ‘A Silent Exchange’, the last work of the night, is a comedic romp performed in the style of a silent film, about a director hopelessly trying to get his actors to behave for a fight scene. ‘Contestant 325’ takes a very different tone as a Jewish German fencer relays her experiences as an Olympic athlete during the Nazi regime. The text could be made more comprehensible, however a powerhouse performance by Ricki G. Ravitts lets this play shine.
Other highlights of the evening included performances by the very funny Maggie MacDonald and the versatile Peter Hilton (yes the writer). If you get a chance to see this show, in one incarnation or another, do not be alarmed by the suffragette play – it is by far the most obviously go-women-power piece, though all the plays get their message across in different ways.
The Lady Cavaliers: Signature Stories is playing at the Greenwich Street Theatre through December 18th. Go now. Theatermania.com for more info and tickets.
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