In his 20s, the 18th-century French playwright Pierre Marivaux was on top of the world with his witty, effervescent stage comedies, which poked fun at love and the hypocrisy and foibles of the upper class. But by his mid-30s, Marivaux was widowed and destitute and his plays began to reflect his growing bitterness.
One of these comedies from Marivaux's lean years was "La Fausse Suivante (The False Servant)," which has the lighthearted, breezy comic setups seen in previous Marivaux works but with dark, caustic underpinnings. The edgy play was not a hit with critics in 1724, and subsequent adaptations have met with mixed results, but the play may finally be getting its due with the world premiere of Theatre de la Jeune Lune's adaptation, "The Deception," which opened Sunday at La Jolla Playhouse.
The Minneapolis-based ensemble theater (last seen at the Playhouse in 2005 with Moliere's "The Miser") has refreshed the play, modernized its language and highlighted its enigmatic qualities in a thoughtful and often stunning production at the Playhouse. Marivaux lovers who relish the playwright's elegant wordplay may be surprised by some of the crude, contemporary curse words in the new adaptation -- co-written by Jeune Lune artistic director Dominique Serrand and company member Steven Epp -- but they're used with a purpose: Underlying this playful cross-dressing romance there lies an ugly world of deceit, greed and cruelty.
In "The Deception," a wealthy Parisian noblewoman disguises herself as a man, Chevalier, and heads to a country estate where she's learned that her fiance, Lelio, is romancing a Countess. Chevalier's initial goal is to spy on Lelio (a fruitful quest, as Lelio quickly confesses to his new male friend that he's interested only in the woman's money). But Chevalier becomes intoxicated with her charade and uses her disguise to rescue the Countess from Lelio's deceit (by allowing the Countess to fall in love with Chevalier instead) and to ruin Lelio financially.
It's a classic morality tale that can be easily played for laughs, but under Serrand's direction, the play's darkest undertones are richly painted. Virtually every character in the play is dishonest and motivated by their own greed, and the baser instincts of the play's male characters (drive for sex and control) seem to invade the mind of Chevalier the longer she wears her mask. And while Chevalier's cause may seem noble at first, her once-innocent deception takes a devastating toll on those around her.
Aptly framing the play is David Coggins' gorgeous abstract set, featuring tall, ever-shifting Mondrian-style walls of glass, with each pane washed in the colors of Monet's Giverny series. Initially the set's impact is as a beautiful, romantic watercolor backdrop for the love story, but it morphs gradually to a cold, severe and sterile room where the smeared glass windows obscure the truth outside its walls.
Key to understanding the cynicism in this adaptation is the character of Trivelin, a poor but proud servant whom Chevalier enlists in her scheme. Trivelin's motivations are simple -- money and sex -- but as embodied by Minneapolis actor J.C. Cutler, Trivelin becomes the angry conscience of the play. Cutler stalks the stage like a caged bear, rants on the cruelty of lies (though he is as dishonest as the rest), and can barely contain his loathing for those he serves.
As Chevalier, Merritt Janson is convincingly boyish and inscrutable in her motivations. When does her deception go from an amusement to a death match? When does her wooing of the Countess cross from harmless diversion into irreversible heartbreak? Janson holds her cards close in her multilayered performance.
The Countess, played by Emily Gunyou Halaas, transitions smoothly from a giddy, skipping girl to broken, bitter young woman. And Jeune Lune ensemble member Nathan Keepers embodies the loss of innocence best as the commedia-style clown Arlequino. Drawn into Chevalier's lies by the promise of a few coins, the simple-minded servant is ultimately shattered by her cruelty.
Casey Greig is ideally cold and manipulative as the calculating Lelio, but when his schemes are matched by Chevalier's (neatly symbolized by his adoption of Chevalier's hairstyle and dress in Act Two), he too is broken beyond repair.
Rounding out the cast is a four-member ensemble of UC San Diego graduate students who musicalize the play with lovely harmonies sung in Latin.
Marcus Dilliard's lighting is stark and moody, and Sonya Berlovitz's ruined-looking costumes create an atmosphere of decadence in decay.
"The Deception" has mature language, adult themes and brief partial nudity, but what really makes this play adult is the pessimism of its message. Marivaux may be best known for his witty "Game of Love and Chance," but in "The Deception," we see there's much truth to the proverb that all is fair in love and war.
"The Deception"
When: 7:30 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; through Aug. 19
Where: Potiker Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, UC San Diego, La Jolla
Tickets: $28-$60
Info: (858) 550-1010
