Village Theatre debuts with feminist literature and an interrupting man

When you enter the intimate storefront space at the Rivendell, you are immediately transported into the world of Artemis Books. The set and props design by Katelyn Montgomery and Averly Sheltraw is teeming with detail - from the subtle paint effect on the walls to give that weathered feel, to the specifically selected books for set dressing which all reflect the feminist literature available at the store. The overall effect is one that suits the tone of the piece - Artemis Books is a lived-in, well-loved, and occasionally behind-the-times home to those who work there. Here is where the Village Theater presents their inaugural production and world premiere of Artemis Books & the Well-Meaning Man.

Left to right: Phoebe Jacobs, Daniela Martinez, Tierra Matthews. All photos courtesy of Nico Fernandez.

The story follows Regina (the newly appointed manager), Asha (an artist in off hours and book salesperson by day), and Emerson (Regina's sometimes fling and always mystic) as they navigate their biggest challenge yet: sharing their sacred space with a man. JJ is the epitome of book smart feminism - he has all of the knowledge his PhD in Women's Studies can provide, but none of the lived experiences of his coworkers. Tension arises and drama ensues.

The play really hits its stride when it takes a turn into the absurd. While this window of time is only a portion of the piece, the added comedy - in both dialogue and set - bump the humor up a notch and take the piece from serious (and at times, a little off base) feminist commentary to full on satire of white feminism, misandry, and our collective shortfallings in pursuit of something decidedly un-evil.

Left to right: Kyle Roth, Phoebe Jacobs, Daniela Martinez.

As an ensemble piece, each role has their moments to shine - with JJ (Kyle Roth) teetering between forgivable and utterly punchable, Asha (Tierra Matthews) bringing a sense of reason to the space, Emerson (Phoebe Jacobs) delivering a charmingly self-aware performance of the spiritual role, and Regina (Daniela Martinez) embracing her boundaries - however unreasonable they may be.

There is something unavoidable about the clash between the play and its playwright - a play which criticizes a man who sees himself as a fit in women's spaces, written by a man who has chosen to tackle a piece on feminism and women's perspectives. There are moments where that clash comes out in written dialogue that feels "about women" (or, moreover, "about feminists") and not necessarily "by women", but director Clara Zucker has done an excellent job of bringing a fem lens to Artemis.

Village Theater is kicking off with a bold statement - we aren't afraid to push the envelope, but we also aren't afraid to tackle the conversations it opens. With post-show dialogues following select performances, the audience is brought in on the story and made a part of the night, making space for discussion and for the life of the play to extend past curtain call.

Artemis Books & the Well-Meaning Man runs through August 2nd at the Rivendell Theatre. It is a worthwhile night of theatre to see this new company's inaugural work, debuting with strong performances and stellar production quality.