TOM TITUS -- THEATER REVIEW

Had playwright Gregory Murphy concocted the characters of “The

Countess” out of his own mind, audiences might conclude he possessed a

rather strange and fevered imagination. That the principals were real

people in 19th century England casts a more chilling light on the

characters, explored at painstaking length on the Second Stage of South

Coast Repertory.

The countess of the title is not a person of royal heritage, but

rather a troubled woman, trapped in a loveless and unconsummated marriage

to a distinguished art critic. Her husband’s disdain toward her

ultimately thrusts her into the arms of a young painter who has won the

critic’s favor and support.

It’s a strange triangle, rendered even stranger by director Juliette

Carrillo’s measured and deliberate pacing. The director’s guiding hand is

all too present in the production, particularly in the overly artistic

scene transitions amplified by David Lee Cuthbert’s eerie lighting

effects.

The initial problem with “The Countess” is its labored pace, but this

might be forgiven were its characters interesting and provocative. Alas,

we must wait until the second act before the play awakens and emits an

emotional crackle or two, by which time attention spans are endangered.

Fortunately, the performances are strong and engaging, but they are

playing against the grain of a leaden script that challenges its

audiences to feel any empathy for the characters.

Even a handbill passed out to playgoers after the final fade-out,

which details the actual events following the dramatization, does little

to fan the fires of genuine interest.

Blake Lindsley, in the title role, firmly establishes her unfulfilled

wife with a fire and flourish that rattles the cages of her intellectual

but emotionally juvenile husband and her stiff-necked in-laws. She fares

less effectively in her tentative relationship with the young artist, for

which playwright Murphy must assume the major share of liability.

As John Ruskin, the husband and critic, Jeff Sugarman seethes and

pontificates his way through a thoroughly dispassionate characterization.

Sugarman, however, effectively telegraphs the strains of madness that

would befall his character in later life.

Mitchell Anderson as John Everett Millais, the painter who ignites the

countess’ fire, displays little of his own in this regard. His mannered

and uncertain approach to the affair may be indicative of the period, but

its dramatic effect leaves much to be desired.

Two vital performances are rendered by Don Took and Lynn Milgrim as

Ruskin’s rigid, establishment parents. Both register high effect in their

polite but blatant disregard for both their daughter-in-law and her

confidant, splendidly interpretedby Svetlana Efremova.

One of the more effective elements of “The Countess” is Christopher

Acebo’s unit setting, which functions as both English drawing room and

Scottish cottage with minimal scenic alteration. Maggie Morgan’s costumes

further validate the period production.

Ultimately, playwright Murphy has laid so much importance on

historical detail that the play’s dramatic elements often are lost in the

shuffle. Presenting these details in slow motion hardly remedies this

situation.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Thursdays and Saturdays.

FYI

WHAT: “The Countess”

WHERE: South Coast Repertory Second Stage, 655 Town Center Drive,

Costa Mesa

WHEN: 7:45 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, with 2 p.m. matinees

Saturdays and Sundays until Dec. 3.

COST: $26-$47

CALL: (714) 708-5555