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Plums In New York
By Jenny Sandman
Anna Rósa Sigurdardóttir
(Photo: Moeidur Helgadottir )
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In Plums in New York, written by and starring Icelandic artist Anna Rosa Sigurdardottir as Gudrun whose obsession with Strindberg takes over her life. The play takes its title from a dream she has about plums which sends her to New York to visit a friend to try and resolve the dream. Gudrun is writing a play about Strindberg, and as she gets deeper into the writing process, her grip on reality falters and Strindberg takes over her body. Much like Strindberg himself, she can't distinguish waking from dreaming.
The play is a half-surreal extended soliloquy and raises some interesting questions about the nature of illusion and reality. It's charming in places but often just silly.
Sigurdardottir is a fine actress but she needs better material and she would be better served if she stuck to performing material that she hasn't written herself. The actress also interacts with strange projections that bear an uncanny resemblance to mid-1980s video game graphics. Again, a charming idea, but poorly executed. The projections are more distracting than effective.
Overall, Plums in New York is bland with Strindberg remaining a largely irrelevant sideline, and the story just spins itself in circles without really enlightening or resolving anything.
Here's hoping that New Yo
| rk will have a chance to see the magnetic Sigurdardottir in other shows. PLUMS IN NEW YORK Written and performed by Anna Rosa Sigurdardottir Directed by Hera Olafsdottir Production Design by Egill Ingibergsson and Moeidur Helgadottir Sound by Rosa Gudmundsdottir Running time: One hour and ten minutes with no intermission Icelandic Connection, Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street; 212-239-6200 August 6th through September 26th; Tuesday through Saturday at 8 pm; Saturday at 2 pm and Sunday at 3 pm and 7 pm. Tickets $25 to $40. Reviewed by Jenny Sandman based on August 15th performance |
Retold by Tina Packer of Shakespeare & Co.
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