Sex. Power. Lust. Passion. Venus in Fur returns to Broadway for a second limited run for a very good reason - it is a damn good show! Based on the erotic and controversial novel of the same name, playwright David Ives captures the very essence of a true battle of the sexes. In a male dominated world, it is up to one woman to change the odds and take control. Featuring an all star acting couple in Nina Arianda and Hugh Dancy, Venus in Fur is sexy, smart, sexy, funny, and sexy (was sexy mentioned already?). Broadway has found its next great American drama in Venus in Fur!
Late one night, after sitting through tons of useless auditions, Thomas is ranting one the phone to his girlfriend. Just as he announces that there is no hope of ever finding the lead for his new work, Venus in Fur, Vanda burst through the door full of a unique energy that Thomas finds himself starting to fall victim to. After some convincing, Vanda has Thomas reading his own words and acting alongside her for this audition. Complete with a bad of costumes and props, Vanda and Thomas begin to cross the line between text and reality; before long dialogue feels more natural and the world of his play starts to become the reality of the night. With the girlfriend slipping farther and farther from Thomas’s mind, the erotic novel that was banned so many years ago starts to unfold before the audience - proving an audition that is so passionate and steamy, no one will soon forget about it!
A piece like this one is impossible to do without chemistry! Nina Arianda and Hugh Dancy have chemistry! The text is lifted off the page and given life by these two incredible actors that each give the performance of a life time. Nina Arianda (Tony Award nominated for Born Yesterday) continues her charge toward stardom tackling the very complex character that is Vanda. Full of determination, Vanda storms onto the stage, and from line one commands the attention of both Thomas and the audience. Arianda is hilarious, truthful, and all around brilliant to watch on stage. Her understanding of the world she is in is magnificent. Back in May, Entertainment Hour had this to say about Arianda, “It is clear that this is just the beginning of an extremely successful career for Arianda” (Born Yesterday review). This statement is true once more as Arianda proves yet again that she is the next big Broadway star. Thomas may seem all kinds of confident, but by the end of the piece, his outlook on life has surely been altered. Hugh Dancy (films Ella Enchanted and Confessions of a Shopaholic) tackles this role with charm and skill that are beyond measure. His ability to transform into each character on stage, between Thomas and the roles that Thomas reads throughout the audition, is amazing to watch; his commitment to find the truth behind each character is something that cannot be ignored. Separate, these two could tear apart any piece of theatre; however, together they destroy the stage, in a good way of course! The chemistry and fire between these two is almost indescribable. The physical and mental attraction is there from the moment both appear on stage together; the audience watches as it grows and grows with each passing moment - the first time they lock eyes, the first time they read together, the first time they touch. Both bring sex appeal while delivering performances that one can only hope will be acknowledged come June at this year’s Tony Awards.
Brilliant acting was not the only triumph that this new piece has to offer. Playwright David Ives (The School for Lies) crafts the ultimate story based around a book that caused trouble so many years ago. Ives provides the ultimate look into the ways that men and women look at the world - who holds the power? Moving the actors in a small room is not an easy task, but director Walter Bobbie (Tony Award winner for Chicago) does it with ease. Along with fight director Thomas Schall (War Horse), Bobbie brings both the world of theatre and the erotic novel to life. Creating pictures and moments that truly reach out to the audience and pull them in, Bobbie creates a world that feels so natural yet surreal at the same time - a vision that was seen through by designers John Lee Beatty (Other Desert Cities) on set and Peter Kaczorowski (Wit) on lights. Beatty’s scenic design is absolutely remarkable. Literally placing the duo in a floating box, he creates the idea that these two souls are trapped together no matter how rough things might get. This box of an audition room is light magnificently by Kaczorowski who uses all kinds of mood lighting to set the perfect tone for this piece. Bring the team together is costume designer Anita Yavich (Chinglish), who leaves little to the imagination when it comes to sexy Arianda and plenty to the imagination when it comes to hunky Dancy. This balance only adds to Ives’s brilliant battle between man and woman.
Back on Broadway, Venus in Fur is a not to be missed, mega hit that is running at the Lyceum Theatre through June. This hot and powerful piece of theatre will be one that you will not soon forget. Love it or hate it, you will not be able to stop talking about it! This will honestly be one of the best pieces of theatre you will ever get to see! Do not miss Venus in Fur!
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