Depending on the part of the world you inhabit, you might fear, on a daily basis, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, floods and landslides. How reassuring is that? People exist without adequate food, water, or shelter, not to mention fear of deportation, arrest, loss of freedoms, and absence of democracy. What if you reside on a quiet New Jersey cul-de-sac, a peaceful housewife going about your days, caring for your family, pursuing your career, without a care in the world for your daily survival. How lucky are you?
Playwright Madeleine George is about to upend your carefully controlled world in her new play “Hurricane Diane” at the Hartford Stage until Sunday, June 29 and life as you know it might be changed forever. Hold on to your gardening hat and trowel and prepare for a bumpy ride in the dirt.
Come meet four friends Carol (Katya Campbell), Pam (Christina DeCicco), Beth (Alyse Alan Louis) and Renee (Sharina Martin) who have no warning that their lives are about to change, when they encounter a Greek demi-god Dionysus or Bacchus, Diane to you, who crashes with boldness and purpose into their kitchens. Bernadette Sefic’s Diane is a force to be reckoned with whether you are ready or not to play her compelling game: Save the Earth. Diane has picked you for her team and there is no choice in the matter.
As a powerful lesbian queen and landscaper, Diane insists the quartet help her save the planet by worshipping her and following her complex landscaping design in their backyards. She wants them to return their land into a primeval forest, a green paradise, with no lawn, but with a permaculture and paw paw plants, a Garden of Eden if you will. Diane coaxes each woman out of their comfort zone, to change their path, with a taste of her honey, encouraging them to worship her and follow her every mood and move. Only Carol resists her charms but how long can she hold out? Is the end of the world coming and can Diane control the outcome? Let director Zoe Golub-Sass guide you on this fantastic journey planted with surprises.
For tickets ($30 and up), call the Hartford Stage, 50 Church Street, Hartford at 860-527-5151 or online at HartfordStage.org. Performances are Tuesday to Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m.and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Batten down the hatches as Diane, the Greek demi-goddess of wine, song, orchards, fruits and vegetables, fertility, insanity, religious ecstasy, hunting, agriculture, and theatre, is ready to invade your sacred space and claim it for her own. Don’t say you weren’t forewarned.
