Dezart Performs’ production of Destroying David, written by Jason Odell Williams, is the West Coast’s first appearance of the play—and this is only the second time it has ever been put on. How lucky are we?
After seeing it, I can confirm: We’re quite lucky.
It’s a very special and unusual play. When you open the program, you learn it’s not “just” a one-woman show, with the woman referred to as “You”; the other participant in the production is … actually YOU. I mean us, the audience! Gulp … how does that happen?
The one woman is Aleisha Force. She bursts into the theater from the lobby, loudly going on in Italian. When she reaches the stage, she bursts out laughing and switches to English—and away we go!
The setting is the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, Italy—hence the use of Italian. Set designer Jason Reale has created a huge marble viewing area with an arch cut out at the back that holds a giant dark-red curtain. In front of it is an empty base meant for a statue. Will David appear on it? Or is he behind the curtain? Hmmm …
Force rattles on, giving a charming monologue about her years of work at the museum, and how she encountered the statue of David for the first time. She wastes no time in reaching out to the audience—and the very first person she chose was my guest, my one and only niece, Janice, from Calgary, Alberta!
Don’t panic: The audience’s roles are simple and short, like reading aloud a seven-word inscription on a page. Interestingly, a few audience members actually refused to play, which Force handled with speed and grace. Those who did go along were always given warm applause by the rest of the audience.
Force plays more than one role, slipping easily into the accent and persona of, for example, Michaelangelo himself, who appears to discuss the history of the statue and that of Italy. We learn a lot. Crucial to the plot is the discovery that the marble from which David is sculpted contains a fatal flaw which threatens to eventually cause the demise of the world-famous sculpture.
We find out that this woman’s only son was actually named David, because she loved the statue so much. When she takes the child to see the work of art for the first time, his reaction is one we could never have predicted.
We continue to learn about the statue, about the history of Italy, and about this woman’s personal journey, with some unusual surprises on the way. Dressed (at the performance I attended) in a subdued-colored top, a pair of long black slacks, and white running shoes—plus a mauve blazer which she immediately abandons—she carries to the stage a black satchel which we later find contains some rather surprising items, including a huge bottle of water which she swigs frequently. Ah, hydration …
Force rarely stops moving, and as she talks, she reels us into the woman’s life. She teaches us, and she shows us the thought process of someone who plans to wreak havoc on a work of art. And yes, she drains us.
Let me take you into the life of a critic for a moment: As a result of seeing so many plays, and being performers ourselves (as all three of us at the Independent are), we know the tricks of the trade. It is not easy to truly move us to tears—but in this performance, Force TRULY moves the audience. While she leads us through her complex story—and that of her son, and that of the 500-year-old statue—we become her, and we travel her journey. We feel what she feels, and we totally understand it.
This is a rare and extraordinary experience. To give you an idea of how emotionally exhausting (in a good way) Force’s performance is, I could not get up when the play was over. That has never happened to me before.
Deepest congratulations to everyone who worked on this show—to producers Michael Shaw and Clark Dugger for finding it and bringing it to us here; to director Craig Wells for his deeply thoughtful and hard work; and, of course, Force herself.
Also, to reiterate something we’ve mentioned before: If you haven’t been to the new Dezart Playhouse in Palm Springs, you’ve got to see it, because it is just beautiful. It is still obvious that the building was built as a church, and the pews—which Shaw (upsettingly) mentioned will soon be replaced by theater seating—are currently the most comfortable seats in town! The acoustics are fantastic, too; you will find yourself very much at home.
Go see Destroying David if you can. It is … unforgettable.
Dezart Performs’ production of Destroying David is performed at 7 p.m., Thursday through Sunday; and 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, through Sunday, March 8, at the Dezart Playhouse, at 605 S. Riverside Drive, in Palm Springs. Tickets are $69 including fees, and the show runs 75 minutes, with no intermission. For more information, call 760-322-0179, or visit www.dezartperforms.org.