It was just a year ago that Theatre Pro Rata introduced us to something called
simultaneous theater, meaning they did two different plays, at the same time, in the same building, with the same cast! While Chekov's
Three Sisters was playing out on the main stage at the Crane, the minor characters not on stage in that play were doing their own play out in the lobby.
It was a brilliant creative and logistical feat, and something I've never seen before. This year they're returning to that concept, except that it's just one play, but with scenes happening simultaneously in different locations. The site-specific production of
Fefu and Her Friends takes place in the gorgeous historic Searle Mansion near Lake of the Isles. We begin and end the play in the sitting room, and in between the audience is split into four groups and led to four different rooms in the house, where scenes play out
simultaneously with different characters. It's a fascinating character study of a group of women in 1935, brought to such vivid life by this fantastic cast and setting that it feels like we're eavesdropping on these very realistic and unique women.
I highly recommend spending a little time with Fefu and Her Friends, who will be in residence at the Searle Mansion through May 28. Since it's also an event space, performances are weeknights only. They also
rent out a couple of bedrooms via Airbnb, so maybe you could even stay overnight at Fefu's house after the show - what fun!
