Scrappy, divinely profane and absolutely necessary for these fraught times, It’s True, It’s True, It’s True, now in its U. S. premiere at Mill Valley’s Marin Theatre through May 4, is inventive, funny and biting.
With a structure that hits frappé on the traditional play format, this 75-minute confrontational punk-rock romp is equipped with living tableaus, gorgeous stylized costumes by Pamela Rodriguez-Montero and furious musical interludes.
This is just what theater needs right now; pedestrian frivolity gives way to in-your-face provocation and lewdness that made a lot of the menfolk in the audience visibly squirm. Women theatergoers may be all too familiar with the situation at hand. Director Rebecca Wear and the all-female cast lean into that shared reality as they hammer out this ultimately redemptive story, uncaring as to their effect on the patriarchy. I’m here for it.
Ripped from 17th century court transcripts and adapted by Billy Barrett and Ellice Stevens, the story follows gifted Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi (played with subtle dignity, then growing force, by Emily Anderson) as she testifies about her rape at the hands of the dastardly Agostino Tassi (a repulsive yet charming Maggie Mason), the famous painter her father hired as her tutor.
It is soon painfully apparent that it is Artemisia on trial, with the audience as jury. A sly judge (Alicia M.P. Nelson, channeling Kenan Thompson on SNL) presides over all, offering smirks and sight gags with careless abandon.
The most impactful interludes involve the aforementioned tableaus of two of Gentileschi’s paintings, complete with a commedia dell’arte-influenced scene featuring two voyeuristic “elders” (Mason, and Keiko Shimosato Carreiro, doing amazing character work), who act in a distinctly repulsive contemporary manner that will inspire many a vengeful thought.
The whole production is interesting to scrutinize, especially the costumes. Mason wears an intricate leather jacket fashioned in what must be hundreds of safety pins and spikes, while Anderson dons an exquisite gold and blue brocade gown. The Mikiko Uesugi-designed set is versatile and serves as a sometimes literal canvas to the action.
Sound design by Matt Stines is dynamic and rollicking. The smaller Lieberman Theatre venue meant that musical vocals were often lost, which is a shame because they were performed with tangible, justified rage.
Lovers of revolutionary new theater will want to catch this experience.‘It’s True, It’s True, It’s True’ runs through May 4 at Marin Theatre, 397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. Weds-Sat, 7:30pm; Sat & Sun, 2pm. $10-$81. 415.388.5208. Recommended ages 17 & up. marintheatre.org.
