With a title like “How the Other Half Loves,” it comes as no surprise that the ensuing show is about romantic relationships. But in Alan Ayckbourn’s play, six Bromfield School students tackle themes of infidelity, boredom, paranoia, and inadequacy as three marriages begin to rapidly crumble before the audience’s eyes.
Set in 1969, the action takes place in the apartments of Frank and Fiona Foster, played by Michael Canning and Caroline Hentz, and Teresa and Bob Phillips, portrayed by Maribelle Flint and Caoilin O’Connor. A single set represents both apartments, but is played by the actors as though each couple inhabits a separate living space.
This staging choice is the first clue that the couples’ lives are linked despite the illusion of separateness. The interconnected nature of the relationships is also revealed through a series of phone calls placed by Fiona and Bob, alluding to their affair.
Distrust is a common theme in each relationship, with suspicions coming to a head at independent dinner parties hosted by each couple. Their guests are William and Mary Detweiler, played by Joey D’Amore and Christina Burns, who unwittingly become catalysts of the disintegration of both the Fosters’ and the Phillips’ marriages.
While the displeasure between spouses is much more passive-aggressively presented by the Fosters, the Phillips’ argument is frantic and physical. The resulting drama at each dinner party is fast-paced and high-energy, relying on the cast’s concise, rapid delivery of dialogue and movement to sell the collapse of each relationship.
“The two couples have to dance together,” said director Martha Brooks, who also teaches theater arts at Bromfield. “If it doesn’t come off like that, [the play] just dies.”
A great day of theatre
Although “How the Other Half Loves” is a two-act play, audience members are left in suspense at the conclusion of the dinner party scene at the end of the first act. As Bromfield’s entry into the Massachusetts High School Festival, a statewide drama competition, the performance was restricted to a maximum of 40 minutes, leaving the second act of the play unperformed.
Bromfield performed the show in the preliminary round of the festival, hosted by Leominster High School on Feb. 27, but was not selected to advance to the semifinal round on Saturday, March 19.
“The performance went well,” said Brooks. “We were disappointed not to advance, but it was a great day of theater. The plays were great, and the kids had a blast.” Although Bromfield did not move to the next round, both Flint and O’Connor received acting awards and were named to the Massachusetts High School Festival All-Star Cast.
Brooks said that she and the students are looking forward to their next performance of the play, which will be part of the Harvard Schools Trust Gala on Saturday, March 12. The show will begin at 6 p.m. in the Cronin Auditorium at the Bromfield School. Tickets for just the performance can be purchased at the door for $20 each. For tickets to the dinner portion of the gala, beginning at 7:15 p.m. in the Fellowship Building of the Harvard Unitarian Church, visit www.harvardschoolstrust.org.
Caoilin O’Connor portrays the cheating husband Bob Phillips. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
Caroline Hentz as Fiona Foster kisses husband Frank Foster, played by Michael Canning.
Maribelle Flint as Teresa Phillips makes some phone calls to check up on her husband
Joey D’Amore (left) and Christina Burns as William and Mary Detweiler listen to Michael Canning (Detweiler’s boss) pontificate.
Joey D’Amore makes conversation with his dinner host Caroline Hentz.
Caoilin O’Connor as Bob Phillips suspiciously eyes a sandwich prepared by his wife Teresa played by Maribelle Flint.
