A Noise Within presents Misalliance to close out its 2023-2024 “Balancing Act” season. Written by George Bernard Shaw. Directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos. Geoff Elliot and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott are the producing artistic directors.
What can women do in Edwardian England to defy conventions? In the case of Hypatia (Erika Soto), she aggressively chases down the man she likes and rejects marriage proposals. As for Lina (Trisha Miller), she flies a plane and also rejects marriage proposals left and right. In George Bernard Shaw‘s world, these two characters symbolize the beginning of the new female image taking shape in the post-Victorian England, a stark contrast to the passiveness and intellectual inferiority expected from women in previous periods.
To recreate the Art Nouveau interior design from the Edwardian period, designer Angela Balogh Calin used an impressive glass wall and a massive painting to simulate an expansive background garden. Calin’s artisan skills are evident in the multiple details around the set. The walls, the floor, and the furniture décor they all exhibit organic shapes and floral motifs that give off an air of sophistication to the ample stage.
Bear in mind that Misalliance is a wordy play with long monologues. Shaw used some of the characters as an audience for his social and political views. In a few scenes, some characters just sit passively, listening to the other characters go on and on with their monologues. Fortunately, these scenes lead to some of the finest comedy lines in the history of theatre. This play is a masterful combination of inventive dialogue and physical comedy. One of the benefits of having a fine director like Guillermo Cienfuegos is that he allows his superb cast to let loose and bring their craft to another level. The performances of Josey Montana McCoy as the intellectually superior but physically inferior Bentley and Joshua Bitton as the socialist Baker are as hilarious and entertaining as they can be. Add to this the skills of Peter Van Norden, Deborah Strang, and Frederick Stuart and you have the human capital to stage a magnificent production to bring alive the fun madness of Shaw’s study on class, gender, and generation.
Soto, always a lively performer, unlocks that irresistible sense of hysteria that explodes at the first opportunity. She delivers consistent performances and is building up an impressive resume, participating in some of the most iconic productions of ANW.
The Misalliance billboard shows a picture of Trisha Miller as Lina Szczepanowska, which is indeed, the central character in the play. With her commanding stage presence, Miller embodies the perfect Lina, a willful and determined woman with no time for superfluous romanticism. Even though Lina only appears in the second act, it is immediately obvious that this character is the one that turns things upside down. She defies norms and is an inspiration not only to Hypatia but to the male characters as well. Lina is a fearless woman who pushes the limits. With her free spirit, she challenges conventions and is a sneak peek of the things to come for the place of women in society. With this play, Miller adds another stellar performance to her brilliant career at ANW.
Misalliance is another big win for A Noise Within, a company committed to stage relevant and majestic productions, setting a high standard of quality to the theatre scene.
Misalliance
A Noise Within
3352 E Foothill Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107
Performances May 18 – June 9
• Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.: May 15 ONLY (Preview)
• Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.: May 23, May 30, June 6 (dark May 16)
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: May 17 (Preview); May 24*; May 31*; June 7*
• Saturdays at 2 p.m.: May 25; June 1; June 8 (no matinee on May 18)
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: May 18 (Opening Night); May 25; June 1; (No 8 p.m. performance on June 8)
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: May 12 (Preview); May 19; May 26*; June 2; June 9
*Post–performance conversations with the artists take place every Friday (except the preview) and on Sunday, May 26.
A student matinee will take place on Thursday, May 16 at 10:30 a.m. Interested educators should email education@anoisewithin.org.
Tickets: anoisewithin.org
Written by George Bernard Shaw. Directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos. Geoff Elliot and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, producing artistic directors.
Cast: Joshua Bitton, Dan Lin, Josey Montana McCoy, Trisha Miller, Riley Shanahan, Erika Soto, Deborah Strang, Frederick Stuart, Peter Van Norden.
Creative team: Scenic designer Angela Balogh Calin; lighting designer Ken Booth; composer and sound designer Christopher Moscatiello; costume designer Christine Cover Ferro; wig and make up designer Tony Valdés; properties designer Stephen Taylor; dialect coach Andrea Odinov; and dramaturg Miranda Johnson-Haddad. The assistant director is Rachel Berney–Needleman. The production stage manager is Angela Sonner, assisted by Hope Matthews.
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