I have to start by saying, I love Hayley Mills. I have loved Hayley Mills all my life. She was there for me as Pollyanna, and the twins; Sharon and Susan in Parent Trap. In college when the rest of the cast of the Good Woman of Setzuan went to the closing night party I went home to watch The Moon Spinners on TV. So I was over the “moon” to see her on stage and in one of my favorite venues in the city, City Center’s Stage II. An intimate space across from the larger City Center Stage I Theatre where Eve Ensler is doing her In The Body of The World. Two stages occupied by strong, smart women. “Yes!” I have to say to this. “Yes!”
Hayley Mills, Brenda Meaney, and Allison Jean White in Party Face at City Center Stage II – Photo by Jeremy Daniel
Party Face, a new play by Irish playwright and actress Isobel Mahon and directed by Amanda Bearse opens with Mollie Mae (Gina Costigan) preparing herself and home for a party. Her home we notice from the get go is one of those new modern stark looking spaces where kitchen cabinets and appliances are all hidden behind clean cool utilitarian wooden covers often gray or beige and made to make the home look perfect. Much what the characters in the play are aiming for – perfection. Cover their “cabinets” hide the ugly “stuff” and show only the top layer that is flawless and always civil. Remember to be the good girl, not the one to rock the boat or shake things up.
The first to arrive at Mollie’s gathering is her mother (Hayley Mills) and right away she is undoing and redoing all of Mollie’s work for the party. Politely, of course, and with the best intentions, she makes suggestions for better food, better drink, better attire. On and on she goes until interrupted by the next guest Mollie’s neighbor and the local know-it-all wanna be guru Chloe (Allison Jean White). Then Mollie’s tough, take no prisoners sister, Maeve (Brenda Meaney) joins the festivities and finally Bernie (Klea Blackhurst) Mollie’s roommate from the psychiatric asylum where Mollie, we find out, just got out of after being admitted for an emotional breakdown and attempted suicide. This, we discover, is her “coming home” party. A party to show off her new self and her new kitchen with all its clean lines and no flaws.
The party starts with all the pleasantries of a party. With the guests sharing with one another their perfect lives and husbands, or in Maeve’s case expounding on the shite kids in the neighborhood and using her wicked tongue to belittle and thus lift her own self up. But the drinking slowly unravels the flawless gray and beige lines and the truth, anger, hurt, and fear bubble up and out unmasking the mask.
Isobel Mahon has written a funny agile play about what and how women manage their way through life and friendships, and how, in the managing and navigating of others, we often find that we have lost ourselves along the way. We know much about the needs of those around us. But of our own needs? We haven’t a clue. What do we want? Who are we? What is our place in our own life? What do we really sound like when we speak? Questions that come up as we continue to attempt the flawless cover. This is not just a difficulty for women, but men also. All of us feel the need to have the best of this and that and show only our glossy selves in public, and in the ever increasing most sought after and important arena where perfection reigns, our social media life.
The actors are pitch perfect. The characters all hiding secrets and truths that make their way to the light by desire or force and most definitely humor. Gina Costigan as Mollie Mae is a vision to behold. You want to be Mollie’s friend. To hang out with her in the best of times and the worst. Allison Jean White turns the Chloe character, the nosey obnoxious neighbor, into a woman who is truly trying to help and remain positive and hopeful. Hers is a balance of wanting to be and being that makes Chloe such an interesting person and not a stock character. Klea Blackhurst as Bernie is rock steady hilarity. She gets some of the best lines that leave you howling and wondering. And Carmel, Mollie’s mom, played by Ms. Mills, is bloody grand. Sorry to the character of Carmel who says not to say “bloody” as it is “very unladylike”, but it does have just the right gusto and fervor needed for Ms. Mills performance. She is stunning as the mother who has always tried and succeeded at keeping up her perfection. The mother who will never understand what it takes from you when all you want to show is how in control and picture perfect your life is.
Some of the slapstick felt staged and pushed, but a minor detail to an evening, or afternoon in my case, of darn good theatre. Go and laugh and listen and enjoy.
PARTY FACE written by Isobel Mahon, Directed by Amanda Bearse
With: Hayley Mills, Klea Blackhurst, Gina Costigan, Brenda Meaney, and Allison Jean White
Scenic Design by Jeff Ridenour, Costume Design by Lara De Bruijn, Lighting Design by Joyce Liao, Sound Design by Damien Figueras, Production Stage Manager Melanie T. Morgan, Production Manager Mary Duffe
Party Face runs for limited engagement at City Center Stage II (131 West 55th Street) through Sunday, April 8, 2018. Get Tickets HERE.
Running time 1 hour and 40 minutes with 10 minute intermission.
