BRATTLEBORO — New England Youth Theatre is bringing major fun and laughs with its summer classic.
“Animal Magnetism,” the 1788 farce written by Elizabeth Inchbald, is described in an event announcement as “a brilliant riff on the art of deception and of revenge against the patriarchy.” Performances will be held at NEYT at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Saturday.
“The Doctor — a quack — practices amateur medical techniques on his servant and keeps his beautiful young ward (as well as her maid) under lock and key, intending to force her into marriage,” the announcement states. “A wealthy (and enamored) young stranger offers an escape route, and when his attendant arrives at the house disguised as an expert in mesmerism, the scene is set for the Doctor to get his comeuppance and the women to achieve their desires.”
Malika Anthes, 17, of Brattleboro, plays a maid who sets the play in motion. She said her character discovers a letter that she sees as “a great opportunity to escape.”
Anthes said she believes the show is “very funny” the whole way through.
“I think that the costumes as well are absolutely gorgeous,” she said. “I think the stage picture will be very interesting.”
Two of the costumes were made from scratch by students in a costume class at NEYT, show director Rebecca Waxman said. She described the costumes as “truly beautiful work.”
The show is an example of melodrama, Waxman said, as it is “so high, over the top, pure emotion.”
“Melodrama is one of the underpinnings of our pedagogy here,” she said. “Many of theses kids here have gone through the melodrama camps, which are our most well attended camps. And it really does allow our kids to learn how to make big, bold, loud choices. So it’s extra special that all those students can look and see our Senior Company do that work with real specificity and intelligence.”
Waxman said the show features progressive themes such as the importance of consent, the power of women and “patriarchy smashing.”
Veronica Cottrill, 16, of Greenfield, Mass., is interning with Waxman.
“It’s been such a cool opportunity to learn how a director sets up the rehearsal process, understanding the meaning behind blocking and the setting of shows, and seeing how a director’s vision comes to life in the actors,” Cottrill said. “It’s really cool.”
Cottrill said the play contains “a lot of interesting physicality around a fake magic wand that different actors use throughout the show.”
“The whole show is witty, it’s funny, it’s fun, it’s fast paced,” she said. “It starts and it never takes a break from the action. You’re in it and you’re completely immersed.”
Alex Aither, 17, of Brattleboro, plays a valet who disguises himself as a doctor to sneak into another doctor’s house by befriending him and getting his ward to marry his employer. She described the humor as “very physical.”
“It’s very facial,” she said. “There’s a lot going on for each character for their movement, which I think is what adds to so much to the ridiculousness and what the costumes help reflect.”
This marks Aither’s first time participating in a summer classic at NEYT in which the show was written by a woman.
“There weren’t many women writers back then,” she said. “It’s pretty awesome to be doing a show by a woman and it’s so, so funny, too.”
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