Arts & Society

Gary Tischler • October 23, 2014

Just go to “Marie Antoinette” — yes, the revolutionary play about the famous, infamous, haunting and haunted Queen of France, now at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre — and try not to connect to something in the way we live today.

You can’t. Are you a French Revolution buff, or love old movies and books about the French Revolution? They’re all here folks—Marie, herself, stopping to snap selfies or pose for pictures, the count who loves her, the rag-tag, murderous mob, the baffled, clueless King Louis XVI, except for Madame Defarge, knitting, Danton in his bath, and “Let Them Eat Cake.” The queen apparently did not say that.

Think this stuff is about the curse of celebrity, way back when? You can see it all, echoes and hints and flagrant bows or curses to the likes of Kim and the Kardashians, Lindsay, J-Lo and all the celebrated nonentities on YouTube.

Think we live in turbulent times? Sure we do: Ukraine, ISIS or ISIL, the Arab Spring, the Middle East Winter, the Syrian debacle. We have beheadings, too. We even have beheadings in the news.

If it were just a stylish, hip and cool, a playful tool for connecting the foibles of a young queen to the always now and new, “Marie Antoinette” would be a witty, if not quite as serious as it might be, sendup, zippy 18th-century fashion show, bloody red carpet of a show.

Except that the play—by the now celebrated playwright Dacvid Adjami (his “Elective Affinities” starred no less a Broadway legend than Zoe Caldwell)—is both less than what it appears to be and, in the end, much more.

The play is more than a bit of a mess at times—but, like a messy traffic accident or an accidental viewing of a reality show, you can’t look away—ever. Because it won’t let you, under the immersive and stylish direction of Yury Urnov, because it pulls you in visually, hypnotically and, finally, emotionally.

Looks- and temperament-wise, the show has the feel of “Marat/Sade” or a tour of a madhouse or the old Bastille cells or a mad-hatter party at Versailles, where I was once on a spring day sitting on a bench where the queen went to get away from it, and it snowed. I mention this because it’s a scene that might have gotten into this play—along with the every curious, inventive Sarah Marshall as a sheep—or a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The fact that we accept the presence of a talking sheep at the point of entrance says a lot about the plays powerful pull.

We open with a Project Runway shot—the queen and friends, frolicking and striking Madonna-like poses, clicking, gossiping about the city, politics, fashion, the mob, in a way that Snookie and company might, before descending into a hot tub.

At this point, you should not be surprised that this production is trying to pull you in every which way—there’s a mirror on board, which for audiences front and center should make them feel like voyeurs, watching themselves watching the stage.

There’s a lot to like in the acting—James Konicek as a fiercely frustrated and cruel guard, Joe Isenberg as the soft king, Bradley Foster Smith as the cool and true blue Count Axel Fersen.

But what makes the play is the transcendent performance of Kimberly Gilbert as the queen. It’s a somewhat unexpected star turn because Gilbert has built a longish list of credits with a persona that seems modern, no matter what (she had just completed a role in the reprise of “Stupid F—-ng Bird”). It does here too, and yet she’s found a way to be Marie in her own time. She’s a dreamy teen at first, wistfully wishing to be back in the bucolic Austrian countryside, frustrated with the king, clueless about the mob and her situation.

Somewhere along the way, Gilbert’s Marie, with a kind of heart-breaking empathy, grows in stature, adds weight and bravery to her demeanor, and a dignity peculiarly stuck in her time, a quality sadly lacking in contemporary celebrities.

It’s a bravura performance, building, changing as it goes, until the last cliches, like the last expensive piece of clothing, is gone and what’s left is a woman in her thirties, totally aware of her fate.

“Marie Antoinette” runs though Oct. 12 at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20004.

Robert Devaney •

The Corcoran Gallery of Art died this weekend at the age of 145. Founded in 1869 by Georgetowner William Wilson Corcoran, the gallery was one of the oldest art museums in the United States. Through bad business decisions, the institution could not sustain itself and was divided between the National Gallery of Art and George Washington University. The gallery’s last day was Sept. 28.

“We are all art widows now,” said Corcoran curator emerita Linda Crocker Simmons, an organizer of the requiem for the gallery.

Former staffers of the gallery — many dressed in Victorian funereal garb — met Sept. 27 to hold a mock memorial service at the Flagg Building on 17th Street and to celebrate what was once a vibrant beacon of the visual arts, especially American, and then proceeded to Oak Hill Cemetery on R Street in Georgetown, where Corcoran was buried in 1888.

As they reunited with old friends, mourners walked through the museum and were read a honor roll of names of those involved with the Corcoran. With names of artists and of those at the gallery, the service began to evoke a personal feeling — and also showed how those works of art in the room with Peale’s “George Washington” and Bierstadt’s “The Last of the Buffalo” shall no longer be together as once they were. The Flagg Building will be renovated. The tears of former Corcoran staffers were real.

A white funeral wreath — reading, “Rest in Peace, Corcoran Gallery of Art” — greeted visitors walking up the steps with the Canova Lions sculptures on a beautiful, warm Saturday afternoon.

“We are left with a gorgeous building, but it is now no longer the Corcoran, but a cenotaph, a memorial to something that is not there, an empty tomb,” said former Corcoran director Michael Botwinick in statement, read by Carolyn Campbell, one of the funeral’s organizers and a former public relations head for the Corcoran.

As Botwinick praised the art collection, the artists and students and those who worked at the Corcoran, he observed: “If there is one thing that surprised me in the last two years, it has been the deafening silence. Except for that circle that rallied to help people understand what was at stake, the voices of the larger community of patrons, colleagues, politicians and community leaders have been absent from the conversation. And that silence has now rendered this building mute.”

After taking in the grand hall and rooms one last time, mourners left for their cars to follow the hearse in a funeral procession to Oak Hill Cemetery, where that white wreath was carried in a procession and placed in front of Corcoran’s mausoleum. There was another chance for staffers to reminisce, as they stood for a time in the sunny peace of the Victorian cemetery.

Storytellers recalled the time Robert Mapplethorpe was smoking a joint in the downstairs gallery featuring his first museum exhibition while his friend’s photo collection was on view in the upper five galleries — and then there was the book signing where Andy Warhol used lipstick to kiss each book with an impression of his lips. He had to leave to catch a plane and told a disappointed staffer on the end of the line to use his lipstick and kiss the book herself.

On the hillside, bagpiper Tim Carey played “Going Home” by Dvorak, and those remaining left for the Jackson Art Center, one block away on R Street. The center with working artists had prepared afternoon refreshments, and it seemed a most apropos ending to the day.

Erin Schaff •

Chez Billy Sud was standing-room-only for its opening party in the former Cafe LaRuche space at 1039 31st St., NW. Owners Eric and Ian Hilton of the Thievery Corporation and executive chef Brendan L’Etoile greeted guests in the revamped French restaurant. [gallery ids="101898,136654,136661,136648,136643,136622,136639,136633,136628,136658" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

Three theatrical legends were recognized with the William Shakespeare Award for Classical Theatre at the Harman Center for the Arts Gala Oct. 5. John Hurt and Stacy Keach received their awards from artistic director Michael Kahn. Master of ceremonies Judith Light accepted on behalf of Diana Rigg, who was unable to attend. The Beech Street Foundation received the Sidney Harman Award for Philanthropy in the Arts. Following the program, guests went to the National Building Museum with decor inspired by Leonato’s garden from “Much Ado About Nothing.” The gala raised more than $1 million for the theater’s art education programs

Mary Bird •

Iron Chef Jose Garces’s arrival on the Washington dining scene with the opening of Rural Society in the Loews Madison Hotel has been a resounding success. The steakhouse takes its name from an annual event in Argentina that honors the nation’s gaucho culture. The chef as well as the chairman of Loews Hotels Jonathan Tisch were on hand for the Oct. 1 opening party in the handsome restaurant that features South America’s traditional cuisine, along with food prepared on a $20,000 wood-fired grill. To paraphrase Tisch’s concluding remarks, the best indication of a restaurant’s success is “patrons” on the seats. That is clearly the case at Rural Society. [gallery ids="101880,136870" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney •

The Georgetowner Newspaper, which made its debut on Oct. 7, 1954, threw a 60th anniversary party Oct. 8 on the the rooftop lounge of the Capella Hotel on 31st Street.

Along with its 60th birthday, the newspaper celebrated its “Cover Girls and Boys,” who have been on the front page of the community newspaper over the past 10 years.

Along with the hotel’s prepared food, party-goers got a chance to sample cocktails, made from Clement Rhum Vieux Agricole Select Barrel or Clement Premiere Canne Rhum, which salute The Georgetowner’s two former publishers, Ami Stewart and David Roffman: Ami’s Agricole Martini and the Roffman. The unique drinks were created by the one of Capella’s and the city’s favorite bartender, Angel Cervantes, and the specialty liquor was provided by Nikolai Konicki.

Publisher Sonya Bernhardt said she and her staff were proud to Georgetown and Washington, D.C., and hoped for another 60 years. She thanked the guests, adding a special shout-out to advertisers, sponsors and the Capella.

Please check out this week’s very special Georgetowner Newspaper: the anniversary issue includes memories, photos and pages from the past. Also see “The Georgetowner: 60 Years in Print” poster pullout in the issue. [gallery ids="101881,136868,136862,136858,136854,136849,136846,136841,136837,136832,136829,136824,136821,136817,136813,136866" nav="thumbs"]

the Georgetowner •

Saturday, Oct. 11

Civil War Georgetown Tours

Civil War meant uncertain times for Tudor Place and surrounding Georgetown. Learn in a unique house tour how owner Britannia Kennon saved her family home by boarding Union officers. The tours start at 10:30 a.m. After breaking for lunch on your own, return for an expert guided tour of historic Georgetown. See in person relics of the war’s turmoil including a Union hospital, grave sites of Confederate spies, and a mansion at the heart of the tragic slave escape ship, The Pearl. Visit the Tudor Place website for more information. 31st Street NW Washington, D.C. 20007.

Taste of D.C. 2014

Taste of DC is a multi-day community and culinary event in the heart of the nation’s capital. The event serves up the area’s best eateries, specialty wines, and craft beers along with live musical acts by local artists, chef demonstrations by some of the city’s best chefs, and unique experiences provided by sponsors and partners for all event-goers to enjoy. Taste of DC is held on historic Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown DC from the White House to the Capitol. Starts at noon on Saturday and Sunday. Check here for more information.

Night Nouveau

2014 Night Nouveau is D.C.’s newest must-attend event for young professionals presented by S&R Foundation. Rated one of the top fall events in its inaugural year, Night Nouveau shifts its theme this year and draws inspiration from the masters of Surrealism for a whimsical evening at the historic Halcyon House. Enjoy open bar, fantastic food from some of DC’s top restaurants, as well as a night of amazing music and dancing! Visit the S&R Foundation site for more information.

Sunday, Oct. 12

Yoga at the Georgetown Neighborhood Library

Take an Om Break at the library! Join the Georgetown Neighborhood Library for a variety of yoga classes taught by teachers from Yoga Activist. The Georgetown Neighborhood Library is registering RSVPs for all October classes. To RSVP for any or all classes, send Erika Rydberg an email with the class(es) you’re interested in registering for. The first 30 RSVPs will be registered and the remaining RSVPs will be placed on a waiting list. Yoga starts at 1:30 p.m. Visit the library’s website for more information.

Susquehanna Antique Gallery Open House

The Susquehanna Antique Gallery will host an open house party soon. Spend the Sunday evening of October 12 with us. The gallery will be offering a cultural lifestyle experience of delicious wines, music and antique artworks of some of the finest American, British and European artists. A not to be missed night of fun, wine and some quality art and antiques in the beautiful neighborhood of Georgetown! Doors open at 7 p.m. More information [here] (http://www.susquehannaantiques.com/).

Mary Bird •

The Supreme Court was the supreme setting Sept. 22, as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was presented with the Institute for Education’s 2014 Cultural Diplomacy Award. Coach Kathy Kemper opened the program before Ginsburg was serenaded by mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves and introduced by former U.S. Solicitor General Theodore Olson. Ginsburg gave “a hearty welcome to my workplace,” before conducting a veritable history lesson as she discussed each of the chief justices whose portraits adorned the room. The IFE promotes international understanding and educates youth for global citizenship. [gallery ids="101883,136807,136804" nav="thumbs"]

Sonya Bernhardt •

The 46th Annual Meridian Ball held on Friday, Oct. 17, proved again to be one of Washington’s most elegant evenings. The ball was held at the Meridian House, Eugene Meyer’s home while raising daughter Katharine Graham, both past publishers of the Washington Post. The Meridian International Center’s mission of education on global leadership through the exchange of ideas, people and culture. The evening brought together more than 800 party-goers. Check out the Georgetowner’s photos from the evening’s celebration — and see them in the Oct. 22 print edition. [gallery ids="101889,136736,136740,136744,136747,136753,136751" nav="thumbs"]

Erin Schaff •

The 46th Annual Meridian Ball, held on Friday, Oct. 17, proved again to be one of Washington’s most elegant evenings. The ball was held at the Meridian House, Eugene Meyer’s home while raising daughter Katharine Graham, both past publishers of the Washington Post. The Meridian International Center’s mission of education on global leadership through the exchange of ideas, people and culture. [gallery ids="101897,136664,136682,136680,136669,136674" nav="thumbs"]