"It's About Sex!"
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For Mike Graziadei, the communications major who played Ensign Lovely, the play provided a chance to meet a new set of friends and a reason to explore his own emotions. "I tried using character analysis to find out who (Ensign Lovely) was, what he wanted and where he resides in me," says Graziadei, who was enrolled in Acting I at the time. Drawing on a recent infatuation of his own, Graziadei portrayed Lovely's pursuit of the odd, bookish Valeria with boyish exuberance. "Acting is almost like a fantasy world; you get to play parts you wouldn't ever have a chance to otherwise," he observes.

Similarly, sophomore theater major Sara Desmarais, as the feisty Lady Reveller, says her character was intriguing, especially for someone who lived in a time ruled by men. "She's a spirited, willful, exciting lady."

Indeed, Lady Reveller is a good example of Centlivre's strong, well-drawn women characters. In the first scene, for example, when Lady Reveler is warned that her behavior will tarnish her reputation, she snaps back, "Oh Cupid! Is it a crime to have a number of lovers? If it be, 'tis the pleasantest crime in the world." She later adds, "What pleasure is there in one lover? 'Tis like being seen always in one suit of clothes."

Desmarais, like other female cast members, complained at first about being stuffed each night into a corset -- the painful precursor to the full-bodied girdle -- but discovered that its uplifting effect on her posture and figure began to make her feel more like the coquettish Lady Reveller.

In the intimate venue of Hennessey Theater, the December opening of The Basset Table provided a slice of early 18th-century life, in which the elite's main concerns were to amuse one another, win the next hand of cards and corral a suitable mate. The play featured a host of strong performances and gorgeous, brightly colored costumes and sets. Best of all, the audience understood the jokes. ~

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