'The Revolutionists' Reign Over the South Camden Theatre Company
South Camden Theatre Company is launching their production of Lauren Gunderson’s ‘The Revolutionists’ and I asked a few of the cast and crew how they might pitch the show in two sentences or less. Actress Emma Friend says “Seasonal depression is real. Come see the show, sit in a warm theater, and smile for two hours.”
I’m already sold.
Assistant Director and Stage Manager of the production, August DeLuca adds, “It’s like Sex and the City meets Les Mis but with a little more murder and a lot less romance.”
Double sold! If you can keep me warm and make me laugh despite the gray skies, unwanted blizzards, and doldrums of winter, I will love you forever. However, those amazing comps beg the question - what the heck is this show about?
The show’s synopsis reads, “It’s 1793 and four bold women—playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, ribbon-loving Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle—team up in a wild, feminist comedy set amid the Reign of Terror. As they plot, spar, and even murder Marat, they battle the rising madness of 1793 Paris. Blending history and fantasy, this sharp, irreverent play explores violence, legacy, activism, and sisterhood—part true story, part fiction, part theatrical fever dream—ending in a rousing song and a scaffold.”
Comedy, murder, and feminine rage? Bestill my beating heart. Playwright Lauren Gunderson may have written about late 1700s France but the themes are sounding frustratingly current. As the show’s director Dawn Varava says, “This play takes place during a time of great social upheaval where the ‘people’s revolution’ has been appropriated by a small, lunatic fringe group, drunk on their own power, who are consumed with destroying anyone who opposes their wishes, or calls for a return to sanity. This is the ‘Reign of Terror’ and is focused on destroying any dissenting voices. This includes the writers, the playwrights, and any who attempt to expose the truth of their actions. You make the connection.”
The beauty of historical fiction is that you need not know the history to enjoy it. Sure, it might not hurt if you paid attention in World History class but whether or not you retained your high school lectures won’t alter the fun of the show.
Actress Neena Boyle reminds us that “theatre exists largely to hold up a mirror, and the scene in 1790s Paris does look eerily similar to today – an outward projection of nationalism that masks a government censoring its citizens and targeting them with violence, opposing political factions doing everything they can to vilify each other, and a fight for freedom that is in actuality only for a select few. This play deals with all of that, but also reminds us that we can always choose to fight back. Our truth, our actions, and the stories we choose to tell do matter, and I think we can all use a reminder of that.”
As we toss the word feminist around, it’s important to note that feminism is essentially defined as equality of the sexes. Some, too many for this author’s liking, find the word offensive or triggering and so I asked the ladies of ‘The Revolutionists’ what they might say to someone who balks at the show’s synopsis.
Actress Rachel DeMasi advises, “Don’t let the word scare you. A ‘feminist comedy’ is just a funny story that centers around women and their experiences. And women’s experiences are human experiences — which means they’re relatable to everyone. At the end of the day, it’s comedy. It’s meant to make you laugh; make you think, even. If you’re unsure, come see it and decide for yourself. You might be surprised by how much you enjoy it.”
Actress Tasha Holmes adds, “A feminist comedy is simply a comedy that explores the rights of humans. I think the world can use more art that makes them think of the importance of the rights of others while having some laughter along the way.”
Emma Friend says “Women are strong, women are capable, women are funny. Get used to it.”
Neena Boyle assures audiences “not to worry, men are also allowed to laugh, we don’t gatekeep here.”
In honor of Women’s History Month, the show runs from March 13th through the 29th at the South Camden Theatre Company in Camden, NJ. As the playwright herself has said, “It’s a powerful thing to come together and laugh in a scary time.”
