The Tufts Drama and Dance Department's first production of the 2007-08 year, "Big Love," presents a unique story that combines the philosophy-infused aspects of Greek drama, pop culture references, and some brazen feminism to top it off.
Written by Charles Mee, the play centers on three women fleeing their home country on their wedding day with their 47 sisters in order to escape arranged marriages. Mee presents three ideas of contemporary womanhood through the three main sisters: Lydia, Olympia and Thyona. The only trait shared by the three is their fervent wish not to be married against their will.
Lydia represents the woman searching for all-consuming love and passion, Olympia represents the woman that has no problem submitting to a man, while Thyona embodies the "man-hater" who rejects all love. They flee to Italy seeking refuge at a seaside villa where they hope the master of the house, Piero, will aid them.
When the grooms finally find the girls, it becomes evident that they, like the brides, are meant to embody certain modern ideals of masculinity: aggressive and controlling, yet still desiring love. When the girls see that they may have no choice but to marry, they decide to take their destinies into their own hands.
Directed by Tufts alumna Michaela Goldhaber (LA '93), the play explores themes of marriage, femininity and masculinity, homosexuality and, above all, love. This play questions all of those ideals as well as the way modern society has misconstrued them, and forces the audience to challenge preconceived notions and reconsider the true meaning of love.
From the beginning, this has been a project developed by students; the play was brought to the Department last year by Tufts students who wanted to see it brought to life. They originally learned of the play in a design class, and as the audience will see, the set, reminiscent of an old Italian veranda, is one of the many spectacular facets of the play.
For a tantalizing taste of what the play experience will entail, there is a running fountain, a musical score (some played on speakers and some sung live), a lot of physical movement (including, but not limited to, dancing and fighting), a little bit of sex, some partial nudity and last but not least, a final throw-down with a lot of stage blood.
All of these elements combine to not only provide viewers with an interesting and thought-provoking story, but also to engage them in a sort of visual (and sometimes auditory) melee reflecting the confusing, and sometimes unanswerable, questions Mee wants them to ask.
The main take-away idea of the show is a belief in the power of love and a simultaneous questioning of the traditional roles and ideas of marriage and sexuality. These universal themes are applicable to everyone's lives, making the play a must-see for any and all audiences.
Tickets are on sale now at the Box Office in the Balch Arena Theater in Aidekman Arts Center, $12 for the general public and $7 for senior citizens or students who present a Tufts ID. The play runs from Thursday, Oct. 25 through Saturday, Oct. 27 and Thursday, Nov. 1 through Saturday Nov. 3, with $1 tickets for the Nov. 1 showing.
