Seeing the Quartett was definitly a one-of-a-kind experience. The BAM Harvey Theater bred a new kind of atmosphere. The building was faded, but it added to the theatrical sense. Being seated high up, we were able to witness everything pretty clearly. I had a hard time trying to see who was speaking though. The subtitles that were put on the tv screen did help alot.

Marquise and Valmont are the lovers in a quarrel. The play is centered around a theme of lust and sensuality between them. However, to my confusion, more characters were added into the mix. It was hard to distinguish each new role that the actors took on. Who was speaking now? Was it Valmont or the younger version of him? Who was the old man? These questions and more like it floated in my mind throughout the performance.

The music was eerie, and the sudden outbursts of dancing and screaming were hard to describe. I'm still not quite sure how they fit into the performance. At one point, the old man started dancing in front of the screen. I thought it signified an intermission! But I was wrong. Marquise and Valmont battle it out with words from beginning to end. The end is tragic, but that's the only scene that was crystal clear to me. Marquise walks into the light saying that she is now alone with cancer, "her love."

The Quartett is a performance that must be analyzed in order for it to make sense. It was unlike any other play that I've seen. I would've enjoyed it more had I understood the details and the roles played by each character more clearly.