Thursday night I went with my friend Ruth from John Jay to the Metropolitan Playhouse. She had to see this play for her English class and had no idea on how to get there. I didn't really know the area either, the theater being in the Lower East side; however, the subway map I always keep with me has made me the expert of the two of us on how to get through the city. 

The Metropolitan Playhouse turned out to be a very small and cozy theater. The stage was a circle in the middle, which made the play very interactive. When we arrived there were two human sized puppets/ figures dressed in colonial costumes standing in the middle. The play started with the actors stepping out from the various entrances (since the stage was a circle in the middle the actors could come out of any of the four doors around the stage) 

I was surprised at first because the actors were not dressed in typical costumes. I assumed by the puppets the play would be set in colonial American. However, when the actors came out they were all in simple cami shirts. The woman all had the same skirts while the man had simple pants as well. The language was very lyrical and formal, almost Shakespearean. This type of language contrasted the informal attire the actors had.

The first scene had two women gossiping and chatting of every day life. They spoke of relatable topics such as shopping, who’s with who, men... girl talk. In this talk they came to the conclusion that women need to dress, flirt, and properly interact with men solely for the chance of finding a rich, proper suitor. When I heard this conversation I was a bit turned off, but then thought again in the context of the time. 

The play's story was centered on a woman Maria, who was to marry a Mr. Dimple, however did not want to marry him, as she did not think he had any positive values or virtues. She felt he was materialistic and she could not share her life with him. For the other women, who clearly represent average high society women, this was preposterous. Love had nothing to with marriage. When we see Dimple, we see that he is a pompous man who does not love Maria either. However, he does not break up with her because he doesn't want to look bad. His large debt makes him attempt a love connection with one of the women from the beginning, who is rather wealthy, despite his relationship. Maria meets a man who she feels is truly deep and could like but refuses to dishonor her engagement to Dimple. "I give my hand without my heart" she tells him, which is very ironic considering Dimple is attempting to start a relationship, despite his engagement. In the end the truth of Dimple's dishonesty is revealed to all, breaking the engagement and allowing Maria to marry her true love. 

I really LOVEDDDD this play! It was very entertaining and funny. The actors also used the audience subtly such as when they would refer to women they would point at or look at a woman in the audience. Besides the entertaining aspect, I liked some of the thoughts that the play brought out.

It really touched on the theme of the roles of men and women. Women in this play were more of pretty objects. They were to worry about the most fashionable hats and the proper way to laugh. The men are supposed to be rich and keep the women happy. Few actually cared about the deep connection that should exist between a man and women before getting married. Maria and Manly, the man she meets and falls for, are the only two who look for actual personal virtues and love AND they are ridiculed throughout the play for it!

It makes you wonder about the true nature of mankind. Are people today falling for the simple "what do I get out of this relationship" or are people actually looking for higher connection?