Valldemosa

Posted by Reinaldo Massengill on Thursday, July 11, 2024

In 1839, Frederic Chopin and George Sand rented a deserted monastery in Majorca, and spent four months there. The vacation became a hostile blend of jealousy, disintegrating affection and spiritual angst. First-time playwright Diana Douglas, mother of Michael, ex-wife of Kirk and a former B'way actress, tries to untangle this murky web.

In 1839, Frederic Chopin and George Sand rented Valldemosa, a deserted monastery in Majorca, and spent four months there. Planned as an idyllic escape, the vacation became a hostile blend of jealousy, disintegrating affection, spiritual angst and illness. First-time playwright Diana Douglas, mother of Michael, ex-wife of Kirk and a former Broadway actress, tries to untangle this damp, murky dramatic web. Her attempts are periodically involving, but miscast principals and a lack of focus keep the story from sustaining dramatic fire.

Related Stories

The Emmys award holding an eyeball VIP+

Emmys Rebound Bolsters 2024 Awards Show Ratings

Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan

Grammy Burning Questions: Where Are Chappell Roan, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Sabrina Carpenter and Others on the First Ballot?

The evening begins believably with Julio (Jacob Witkin), a priest and caretaker of the premises. Witkin has dimension and glimmers of humor, and serves as an ingratiating semi-narrator. He has little to do, however, after Sand (Marcia Rodd) and Chopin (Spencer Beglarian) plunge in and establish their heated passion. Since historical reports concur that Chopin was frail and unhealthy and much of the Sand-Chopin relationship was platonic, such lines as “I adore you and relish every inch of you” and “Madam, you are a brazen hussy” never ring true.

Popular on Variety

Douglas’ passionate dialogue would have worked with two other actors, but Rodd and Beglarian don’t relate romantically to each other. Beglarian’s Chopin is convincingly arrogant, without the composer’s reported sweetness and charm, so Sand’s proclamations of eternal devotion are frequently bewildering. It’s difficult to accept their great love when she bitingly asks him to evaluate her manuscript and he, lost in thought about his own composition, responds, “I think I have it … the transition where the minor chords come in!” Or Sand’s criticism of an overly sad melody, which prompts Chopin’s angry response, “Oh — now you’re a music critic.”

Rodd’s Sand is anxious, work-obsessed and neurotic; what’s missing is the mystery and uniqueness of an extraordinary literary figure who wrote 60 novels, wore men’s clothes and smoked cigars, and became the mistress of prominent men who arguably included Franz Liszt.

The strongest story elements Douglas offers are inclusion of Sand’s two children, Maurice (Jordan Belfi) and Solange (Zoe Robin). Solange’s subplot — her intense desire for Chopin and admiration for his music — has powerful possibilities, and Douglas provides strong emotional opportunities for a skilled actress. Robin, though touchingly sincere, is too inexperienced for such a demanding part. When Solange comes on sexually to Chopin, the moment should have suspense and shock value, and Robin doesn’t capture the complexity inherent in the role — overwhelming attraction to a genius that has its roots in competitive hatred of her neglectful mother.

The play’s most charismatic and intriguing character is Belfi as Maurice Sand, and his virulent dislike for Chopin is a plot component that merits further emphasis. Even when required to be petulant and dismissive, Belfi incites viewer curiosity. The production’s best scene, gracefully written by Douglas and tastefully directed by Michael Pavlic, occurs when Chopin praises Maurice’s art and the young man visibly gains confidence under his approval.

Chopin’s artistic nature emerges more clearly when reacting to Maurice’s work than in coping with creative demons of his own. Their moment of closeness has an unforced sensitivity that the central love affair also needs in order to make it come fully alive.

Jump to Comments

Valldemosa

Court Theater, Los Angeles; 90 seats; $20 top

  • Production: A Pyramid Prods. presentation of a play in one act by Diana Douglas. Directed by Michael Pavlic.
  • Crew: Stage manager, Gil Tordjman. Opened, reviewed June 3, 2004; closed June 6. Running time: 1 HOUR.
  • Cast: George Sand - Marcia Rodd Frederic Chopin - Spencer Beglarian Julio - Jacob Witkin Maurice - Jordan Belfi Solange - Zoe Robin

More from Variety

Most Popular

Must Read

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Variety Confidential

A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast

ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXGAjqWcoKGkZLqivsqeq6xllprAtbXVmqOsZ6aWua2wxKamrJldZn9xfJRsaXJtY2Q%3D

CATALOG
    FEATURED TAGS