‘The Revolutionists’ offers a wild take on the French Revolution

OpenStage Theatre presents Lauren Gunderson’s comedy through Feb. 11

Lauren Gunderson’s period comedy The Revolutionists is a hot property in Colorado, with recent productions done by Lake Dillon, Bas Bleu and the Springs Ensemble Theatre Company. Now, theatre-goers in northern Colorado can see what all the fuss is about in a new production by OpenStage, now playing at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center.

Directed by Brenna Freestone-Gilbert the play follows four women during the French Revolution: Olympe de Gouge, Marianne Angelle, Charlotte Corday and Marie Antoinette.

The plot centers around these four women and their experiences during the revolution. Olympe de Gouge is a playwright who uses her writings as a means of fighting for women’s rights after Marianne Angelle, an abolitionist from the Caribbean, reveals she is a spy. Charlotte Corday is a radical who believes in the power of assassination to bring about change. And Marie Antoinette, the former Queen of France, is struggling to come to terms with her downfall and the bummer of no longer being Queen.  The play explores the themes of revolution, feminism and power through the eyes of these four women.

This OpenStage production is a visually enjoyable experience, with a set design that transports the audience to an 18th-century Parisian home complete with candelabra chandeliers, chaise lounges and tapestries. The costumes were also impressive and convincingly reflected the time period along with Marie Antoinette’s perfectly pink wig — bird nest and all.  It made me think that the French Revolution should have been about woman’s rights to not have to wear those uncomfortable wigs and dresses with corsets and crinolines.

The lighting and sound design added to the overall atmosphere of the play and helped create a sense of tension and drama. The doorway into Olympe de Gouge’s home was well designed for all the comings and goings of her co-patriots, where most of the action took place. The guillotine in the background was used fully by lighting it up between scene changes. At the same time, the  character sang a capella verses to highlight their individual emotions leading up to judgment day.

Freestone-Gilbert has a strong cast to work with, with Jessica Emerling Crow playing Olympe de Gouge with a sense of passion, vulnerability and desperation that was truly inspiring as she struggled to write a meaningful story.

Kaya Rudolph and Marin Stumpf as Marianne Angell and Charlotte Corday

Kaya Rudolph, as Marianne Angelle, brought a sense of determination despite being under emotional stress. She did a nice job showing the strength of a character who’s trying to change the world. As Charlotte Corday, Marin Stumpf was incredibly convincing as a radical willing to do whatever it takes to bring about change no matter the cost.  And Sydney Parks Smith, as Marie Antoinette, was able to convey the complexity of the character — both in terms of her role as the former Queen and her struggles to come to terms with her demotion. Imagine having to live amongst the peons sans cake!

I was privileged to see The Revolutionists on opening night and thoroughly enjoyed an impressive and clever production. All four of the actors’ performances were fantastic, and each contributed convincingly to make it believable and deserving of the standing ovation they received.

The play reflects what happens when you put radical zealots together at such a historical time. It was a thought-provoking experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an artistic type of political theatre.