Bryna Turner’s Bull In A China shop is another little gem of a play perfectly suited for Milwaukee’s Kith & Kin Theatre Collective. How Artistic Director Kimberly Laberge finds these plays and then matches them with just the right director makes for another exciting theater experience from this independent group.
Despite Turner basing the story on personal letters from the early 20th Century between Mount Holyoke President Mary Woolley and her life companion Jeannette Marks, the play is blazingly contemporary. Woolley is a feminist and a suffragette and declares that she is starting a revolution as she takes the reins at Mount Holyoke College. Almost immediately in the text she labels herself as the Bull In The China Shop. She is determined to move it from a ‘seminary’ turning out perfect wife material into a dynamic women’s college that graduates accomplished and fully rounded women scholars. In some ways the play illustrates how far we have come but the contemporary parallels show us how much we have to lose and that we might actually suffer that loss. Director Marie Helser addressed that in her notes in the program. But that’s only part of the story.
Woolley also wants to maintain her relationship with her lover, Marks. And there are a number of issues surrounding that. Obviously it’s the early 20th Century, so the relationship is somewhat taboo to start with. And although not ‘out’, Woolley and Marks aren’t exactly hiding their feelings either. And that causes some tongue wagging. And Marks isn’t always in line with Woolley, including the move to Holyoke…but she ends up playing the dutiful partner here. So there is a bit of romance and some romantic conflict to examine. And on top of the gender roles of women in American society, we also confront very solid anti-gay biases in the China shop.
There are just five characters in Bull In The China Shop. Just a perfect number for the small black box theater at Inspiration Studios. And Director Marie Helser has assembled a cast to suit each character.
Sophie Keppler is Woolley. To a T! A very determined and self-assured educator and activist who lets nothing stand in her way, even in the face of faculty rumblings, board displeasure, and the loss of funding…she manages to find a way to push the Holyoke community forward. And she also displays the loving and affectionate partner in her private moments with Marks.
And Jeannette Marks is played by Kristina Hinako…giving us a nuanced performance of another very self assured woman who is also passionate with her partner. But someone who is willing to surrender a bit of her own desires to support those of Woolley. But she only bends so far…and Hinako clearly gives us the loving but conflicted Marks as the story progresses.
And Katie Aldred is outstanding as Dean Welsh. A very pragmatic and direct dean, Aldred never seems to waiver in her attention to detail and duty as she reports to Woolley. Aldred is perfect in this role.
Grace Ritcher is Pearl. A student of Marks and an admirer of both Marks and Woolley…and someone who knows too much having seen some of their letters. But here Ritcher is asked to be the coy to shy student shifting to the potential partner as she comes on to Marks…and then later dramatically providing us with an angry spurned lover. Ritcher clearly feels all of the various roles she has to play as Pearl.
And, oh my goodness, Patti Meadors as Felicity is a lot of fun. As a roommate of Marks, she is often caught in the middle of issues between Marks and Woolley. And Meadors plays the role to the hilt with all of the outrageous hysteria to the sudden turn on a dime for a serious ‘translation’ of the situation. Although there is a great deal of humor throughout the play, Meadors actions bring a great deal of it into action!
Bryna Turner has provided a play of great depth and great language with clearly defined characters that tell a well shaped story from America’s past. But her use of contemporary language makes it easily accessible to our ears and clearly draws out the parallels to our era. Bull In A China Shop was first presented in 2017.
Other than the great text, Turner didn’t do any favors for Helser, Stage Manager Beck Menk, or Set Designer Corey Helser. Instead of a traditional Act/Scene format, Turner has written a long and quick series of vignettes to tell this story. Director Helser should consider it an accomplishment to have kept the flow and story moving as freely as in this presentation.
Bull In A China Shop runs through November 10th, 2024 at Inspiration Studios in West Allis WI. Additional Info and Tickets Can Be Found Here!!
