Female sexuality and sexual organs have been swept under the rug throughout history; in fact, when trains first appeared in the U.S., people used to think that steep acceleration would cause uteruses to fly out of one’s body. It seems crazy when compared with current medical standards, but plights like this were not uncommon. In the late 1800s, vibrators were used to cure women of so-called hysteria, and “In The Next Room,” by Sarah Ruhl, illustrates this old medical treatment.
The DU Department of Theatre took on the historical fiction staged reading about this cure last Friday. “In The Next Room” involves Mr. and Mrs. Daldry, a couple seeking treatment; Mrs. and Dr. Givings, a recent mother and her doctor husband; Elizabeth, a wet nurse; and Leo, a pretentious artist suffering from male hysteria. The work follows these characters as they deal with the vibrator cure, jealousy, the idea of motherhood and snow angels.
The play itself is extremely well written; it drips with subtle and not-so-subtle innuendos and smart, sharp-tongued social commentary about Victorian ideals of sexuality. Ruhl, known for other works such as “Eurydice,” is a talented playwright who doesn’t shy away from taboo material, and “In The Next Room” proves her socially-sensitive writing capabilities.
DU’s cast was as fantastic as the play itself. Each actor and actress took his or her role seriously and truly committed to the sometimes awkward material. Sophomore Tamarra Nelson in particular handled hard topics with ease, and senior Olivia van den Berg played Mrs. Givings with an intense variety of emotion; without van den Berg, “In The Next Room” simply would not have been as great. While each cast member was superb, the director, junior Ashley Campbell excelled with flying colors. “In The Next Room” isn’t the easiest work to block (the cast had to work with two wooden floor blocks as rooms), direct or act, but Campbell handled it in a way that retained just enough comedy juxtaposed with serious historical criticism.
After the reading, the cast, director and faculty held a short Q&A for the audience. The crowd asked thoughtful questions about the history of the vibrator, the difficulties surrounding some material of the play and blocking of the work.
Overall, “In The Next Room,” while based in the 1880s, still encourages serious thinking for the present day. The Department of Theatre executed it perfectly with a well-selected cast and amazing direction. The Department of Theatre consistently chooses plays well suited for a college crowd, and we can only trust that they will continue to do so. Check out more work from the department when the second cycle of the Senior Capstone Festival hits the stage May 11-15.
