Abingdon Square is Maria Irene Fornes's beautiful
story of thwarted passion and self-discovery. Set in pre-World
War I New York City, the story follows the life of Marion, a
young woman on the brink of her sexual awakening. Married to
a man old enough to be her father, Marion searches for her own
identity in other men, before coming to understand her own sexuality
and individualism. With the impending changes of the women's
movement as a backdrop, Fornes reconnects to a political sensibility
that is powerful but never didactic or self-conscious. All of
the characters struggle to connect with something greater than
themselves; great changes are sensed, heightened by the nervous
awareness of a nation on the advent of the First World War.
Fornes is a contemporary American playwright; the issues of sexuality,
alienation, and human relations which she addresses speak to
the present society. The period setting functions as a poetic
backdrop which reinforces the themes she highlights in her work.
Despite the confines of corsets and social codes, a society constricted
by its own norms, the characters in Abingdon Square
maintain a frankness of tone and spirit which is refreshing.
Fornes's language is both bold and delicate; her scenes are written
as short vignettes, poems of sorts, which give the play its ethereal
quality. Filled with innocent humor and delicate drama, Abingdon
Square is as touching as it is wise.
Abingdon Square includes an ensemble cast of seven
actors; it was directed by Eric Simonson and featured set and
light design by Robert G. Smith, costumes by Patricia Hart, and
sound and graphics by Larry Hart.
