Five Points or Less

Review

'Tis Pity She's A Whore

Off-Off-Broadway, Play

Location: Teatro IATI

by Aaron

The Toy Box Theatre Company's production of ‘Tis Pity She's A Whore is a thoroughly enjoyable telling of this gritty, gripping drama, one that has plenty of twists and turns and will keep you guessing until the end. The plot seems to be akin to an opera with the three themes of love, sex and death and it doesn’t take long for the cards to be down on the table, and the fate of all involved to be sealed.

I enjoyed most all of the performances, especially Jessica Rothenberg as Annabella and Sarah Hankins as Putana/Hippolita. The cast had their lines down cold, which impressed me given the large amount of text, and the period language.

Being a designer myself, usually the moment a show starts to loose my focus, my eye and mind will wander to the set, lighting, costumes, and sound. That did not happen during ‘Tis Pity. The play moves along at an appropriate clip with the audience at rapt attention. The tension and energy of the show, as well as the impending doom of the plot, simmer at a high boil; this keeps the audience wondering when it will all come crashing down.