Photo credit: Francis Gacad

Written by Patrick Chavis

Emilie: La Marquise Du La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight is playing now at the Curtis Theatre in Brea June 14 – 23, 2024.

Lauren Gunderson’s Romantic Biographical piece about 18th-century Mathematician and Natural philosopher Emilie du Chatelet receives a visually extravagant and unrelentingly tight rendition of this show at the Brea Curtis Theatre.  

Story:

Emilie du Châtelet was an extraordinary pioneer in the early years before there was a science called Physics. There were natural philosophers who tried to explain the natural world through mathematics and quantitative means. Châtelet was one of these people, and before she died, she translated Isaac Newton’s Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, known as one of the most essential works in the history of science, and added to the material.

In Emilie: La Marquise Du La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight, Kalinda Gray plays Emilie. She breaks the fourth wall and talks to the audience directly about the two significant parts of her life: Love and Philosophy. As the play moves forward, we watch Emilie tally on the board like a math equation: What takes more president in her life, the heart or the brain?  

Direction:

This play is loud and proud, and I loved it. The story is from Emilie’s perspective, which is why they break the fourth wall throughout this show. It is made very clear that this play is told from her perspective, which makes this, in my opinion, a strong feminist narrative when you think about how typically these female stories were documented by men, especially back then and to a lesser extent now. Gunderson has highlighted this person’s achievements positively without glossing over the tremendous difficulties that plagued women at the time. Director Hallman’s singular focus on creating this orbit, pun intended, around the leading actress, Kalinda Gray, made her feel like the center of the universe on that stage, with beautiful symmetry, heart, and light.

Set Design:

Scenic designer Colin Lawerence mesmerizes the senses with this circular and expansive design. The set consists of a wooden globe-like sphere on the floor. Jonathan Infante’s gorgeous projection designs, which included neon purple skies and moving Mathematical equations, elevate the design even more. It has a very engaging design and is functional enough to provide a good atmosphere and a space for the actors to work in instead of the actors walking on top of something or in front of it.  

Design:

Lighting Designer Heather Harless’s blaring flash bulbs were used to create transitions while blinding the eye. They do elicit the designed effect—an opening of the eyes or a revelation—and how wonderfully thematic it is to introduce this effect. Aja Bell’s costume works in a word: texture. Bell’s costume design brings so much texture to this story. The colors matched well with the atmosphere and the colors of the set. However, the fabrics and designs make the main characters pop off the stage, helping direct our eyes to the leads and whoever was taking charge of the scene at the time.

Acting:

The actors in this work worked incredibly well together and brought something unique to their roles.

Spike Pulice (Gentleman) plays multiple characters in this production. He is able to play multiple lovers of Emilie and make them seem distinctive with as little as a minor costume change. Jon Sprik’s Voltaire is a lovingly pigheaded man, if that’s a thing, but also truly capable of kindness. I thought Sprik authentically portrayed a genius and a creative man, but also flawed and not above using his position negatively. Even the enlightened are still human and open to error.

Kalinda Gray’s energy must be off the charts. I suggest you square it; that’s a show joke. Gray’s performance doesn’t even end during intermission. While the audience leaves the theater to grab treats, usually go to the bathroom, and all of the other wild things that happen in the lobby of a theater performance, she is writing on the chalkboard, sitting, and reading deep into her character.

 It has a short run, so I highly recommend you grab a ticket before the last show.

Review

9.4 Overall

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Story10

Acting9

Set & Design10

Costumes8.7

Entertainment9.4

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Exceptional Show! OCR Recommended!