Welcome to Book Club! Today we have gathered to discuss The Velveteen Rabbit — Fringe producers Thought Plane Theatre hope you have read this week’s selection in advance.
If you haven’t, fear not. Velveteen, or How to Be Real begins with a low-tech theatrical interpretation of the book’s basic story: A boy receives a stuffed rabbit for Christmas. While associating with other toys, the rabbit is introduced to the concept of becoming “real” through the love of a child. The boy and the rabbit grow closer over time, but the boy is stricken with scarlet fever and his toys must be discarded. The rabbit, abandoned, sheds an authentic tear — and in doing so, magically becomes real.
Thought Plane Theatre — two actresses out of Manchester, England, who go unnamed in their materials — would like to know what being real means in 2017. Thought Plane breaks their concept down through modern explorations, such as a stand-up routine about being a real woman and a song about being a real adult.
The show’s premise is interesting, but the execution is unfocused. Velveteen promises to “guide you through the struggle of adulting and help you discover how to be real.” But we never receive any guidance or make any discovery. (Perhaps this is their point all along?) The audience is pulled into the discussion — after all, this is Book Club — but “What does it mean to be real?” is a huge question for a randomly selected attendee, and so the audience felt cagey throughout.
Also muddling the concept is a B-story about The Velveteen Rabbit’s author, Margery Williams. One of the actresses has been (intentionally obviously) impersonating the author. The unveiling of her deceit appears to be a play on the “real” factor, but beyond that it seems a distraction. The exposé on Margery occurs through an online search, which happened in real time instead of through a pre-recorded video — at the performance I attended, it was rendered awkward by buffering issues. At any rate, I’m not sure it was needed.
Velveteen’s successes spring from the actresses themselves, both full of self-deprecating humor. There is a genuine camaraderie between the two, even when they disagree — in fact, especially when they disagree. The time in the show focused on their mildly tyrannical Book Club and their staging of a classic childhood story are the warmest and funniest in the show — more of this, please.
The CINCINNATI FRINGE FESTIVAL continues through June 11. Find CityBeat reviews of 40-plus early performances here. For a full schedule and more info about Fringe, visit cincyfringe.com.
This article appears in May 31 – Jun 7, 2017.