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Human Fruit Bowl
A model is to an artist as an actor is to an audience. Is this an accurate analogy? Through her monologue, nude model Beth (Harmony Stempel) explores the relationship between artist and muse – and perhaps in connection, the relationship between audience and performer. Are the latter of each pair undervalued, or are they admired and appreciated for what they bring to theatre and art?
It sure is weird being the only naked person in the room – though maybe it would be weirder if everyone were naked! The play, written by Andrea Kuchlewska, jumps around just as the thought process of a sitting nude – what needs to be done at home, what pose should I do next, that painter over there really creeps me out. The Human Fruit Bowl is a complex narrative. Beth goes from lecturing about art history to speaking about her experience being an amateur model. She begins her art history focus on artist Pierre Bonnard’s relationship with his wife (Marthe) and mistress (Rene). The story goes as follows: When Bonnard decided to finally make an honest woman out of Marthe, Rene became so upset that she committed suicide in a bathtub. From this 
story come various “conspiracy theory” connections between Rene’s death and Bonnard’s apparent “obsession” with painting Marthe in a tub. Beth argues that there are no facts that prove any of this happened – did Rene say that she killed herself because her lover married, how did Rene kill herself in the tub, did Bonnard say he had a mysterious fascination with nudes in tubs? This anecdote can take on several meanings, but what I found important was the fact that Bonnard just liked painting his wife, and muse, in a tub. He appreciated his model, and made the most of her in his artwork. Following this tale, Beth begins listing artists and their models – a lot of knowledge for a girl who claims to not know anything about art!
As all of this historical information comes into focus, Beth also unravels a personal story between her and one of the artists in the 
drawing class. Though other drawers in the class may take her for granted (“Hey! You moved your leg!”), this one in particular finds her fascinating and continuously asks her to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Beth turns him down, deciding to visit on her own after being intrigued by his offer. In the end, after privately modeling for him several times, she finds that she’s appreciated for who she is and what she does.
The performance at The C.O.W. Theatre in the Lower East Side was intimate and cute. We were given a pencil and paper with our programs in case we wanted to do some sketches of Harmony Stempel as she posed for us – and quite a good model she was as she recited all her lines, only breaking from her pose once (purposely) as she got really excited about the story about Bonnard. And she wasn’t just a figurative naked model in a studio of artists, but also a naked actor in a full house – layering meaning upon meaning! The play made me think, but it wasn’t too philosophical that I couldn’t enjoy the performance. I really appreciated this production, as an artist, art appreciator, and theatre goer.
The Human Fruit Bowl
Fringe NYC – The C.O.W. Theatre
August 13, 2013
Marina B. Nebro