Berkshire Theatre Group, Stockbridge, MA
through July 27, 2013
by Shera Cohen
“Extremities” personifies the violence of rape in three
different time periods: before, during, and after. The emphasis in this
powerful and oftentimes uncomfortable drama is, of course, on the victim as
well as her assailant. Although the play was written 30 years ago, it is a sad
reality that the story is quite relevant today. A large black sign covering
half of a wall space in the theatre’s lobby lists statistics from 1982 and the
present; i.e. number of rapes, number of reports, percentages of convictions,
percentages of depression.
Yet, “Extremities” is not data collection or book learning.
There’s the woman, and then there’s the stranger who enters her home. This is
not your typical rape story (if there is such a thing as typical, and there
shouldn’t be), as the attacker eventually becomes the attacked. The characters
and the audience face the question of how to define justice. Does an eye for an
eye apply here? There’s another question, perhaps even more important, of what
does violence and justice mean to both people in a terrible situation?
The casting of Molly Camp (Marjorie) and James McMenam
(Raul) is masterful. Camp transforms from a somewhat wimpy and board young
woman to a bug-eyed, quivering, determined soldier of circumstance. McMenam
morphs from a physically aggressive man to a caged animal-like creature.
Director Karen Allen molds the two, at first giving one character an edge up,
then the other, and soon the audience wonders just who is in control.
Marjorie’s housemates, portrayed by Kelly McCreary and Miriam Silverman, arrive
on the scene. Both actresses define their individual personalities quickly.
Kudos goes to the backstage crew on music, lighting, sound,
and set design. This is the most detailed story-telling staging at the Unicorn
Theatre to date.
