Mary’s Wedding – Detached from “Soaring Love Story”

The tag line, “A soaring love story” for Mary’s Wedding, which is playing at the Delaware Theatre Company, is misleading. The premise of the play it is that it is a dream whereas one can forget the sketchiness of an actual dreams, one cannot, however, forgive this cursoriness in the art of theatre. The subjects are of different social classes, something that is quite familiar with this genre. This notion leaves me asking, “Is a rich-poor relationship the only type that is bound to the pens of playwrights?”  Mary is a energetic, upper class English girl whereas Charlie is a rather poor farm boy from the country. The premise gives one the feeling that Mary’s Wedding is a washed-up culmination of other period dramas.  From the tag line, one can guess that the two characters tumble into the depths of love. Yet, as I watched the play attempted to navigate the audience through a “soaring love story,” what was presented was a different type of story. 

The story of Mary’s Wedding is not a love story but a generic war story that encompasses love. The play focuses on the awkward courtship of the couple. Never are scenes of intense love portrayed.  The love between the two characters is hinted rather than shown. What is shown are sweet moments of affection, a few chaste kisses, but nothing heartfelt. Never did I genially believe the so-called love between Charlie and Mary.  But judging by the weeping eyes that surrounded me, I was the only one.

In the play, W.W.I serves as a backdrop. Yet here is where the playwright digresses from his “soaring love story.” Where he should be guiding the audience through character development and pleasant scenes of vehement love, the writer instead adds prolonged monologues about the war. These lengthy moments of narration are slow-moving. Additionally, the play solely depends on extensive narration and heavy dialogue. The author goes through various aspects of an event, having Mary tell the audience what happened, what could have happened, and what she wishes would have happened. Meanwhile flashing back and forth through time going in a non-sequential order. Sounds confusing? The non-chronology of the play leads to incomprehension. Massicotte may flash from the battlefields to the countryside, yet I remained in one place: the midst of confusion.

Elements of the production made up for the mediocre story line. These include the ingenious dreamy design by Beowulf Boritt that include a nearly dead tree and slanted barn. All these features are plastered in a bleak white that match Mary’s nightgown. But to contrast this somberness is the lighting of Tyler Micoleau which sets the scene, taking the audience from the calm sounds of a countryside to the frightening sounds of the battlefield. 

But nothing would be Massicotte’s production without the use of dedicated and brilliant actors. Erin Moon outshines her real life husband, Stafford Clark-Price, demonstrating versatility and commitment by doubling both as Mary and Sergeant Flowers. Her sweet voice coated with a rather believable British accent vastly differs her deep and harsh voice as Sergeant Flowers. Undoubtedly, there was chemistry between the couple, but here is where Massicotte fails.  He does not present the audience scenes of fervent love. Perhaps, I have grown accustomed to modern period pieces where characters profess their love, crying in emotional voices, “ I love you... most ardently.”  “You complete me,” and “You had me at hello.” If Mary’s Wedding had a scene where the lovers expressed frenzied affection for each other and commenced into a passionate manifestation of this love, perhaps I would have sincerely felt their emotions. Yet, to those surrounding me, the chaste and awkward scenes provided by Massicotte sufficed. Perhaps, I am too demanding as an audience. 

Ultimately, elements of the production salvage it from being a just another period piece. Yet, overwhelmingly the material leaves me detached, a nonbeliever of the alleged love. For actual love, one may have to look beyond Mary’s Wedding and to another source.

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