Anais Nin... One of Her Lives
Written and Directed by
Wendy Beckett
Theatre Row, Beckett Theater
410 West 42nd Street
212-714-2442
In hew new play, Anais Nin... One of Her Lives, writer/director Wendy Beckett explores the complicated relationship between famed erotic author Anais Nin, American writer Henry Miller and his free-spirited wife June, all of whom converge in 1930s Paris. Through dialogue mainly between Nin and Miller, Beckett recounts the artists’ experimentation with an open relationship and their attempts to shake up the sexual stereotypes of the time.
Nin is brilliantly played by Broadway alumn Angela Christian, who recently took on the title role of The Woman in White both on Broadway and London’s West End. Christian flawlessly fits into the role of the small, demure Nin. Her gentle features flex beautifully, while her facial expressions powerfully demonstrate the character’s complex emotions. As June Miller, Alysa Reiner vividly contrasts the timid Nin, seducing the artist with raw flirtations that leave Nin no choice but to give in to her advances. Both Nin and Miller become obsessed with the sensual June, and Reiner makes it easy to see why. Unfortunately, the dynamic between the three actors is thrown off by David Bishins, who turns in a tepid performance as Miller and doesn't manage to reach the emotional depths of his female costars. We never really believe Miller’s devastation, for example, when it is revealed that June slept with Nin before she slept with him.
Halcyon Pratt's set design is crafted with careful simplicity, utilizing mostly white walls and furniture. The only real color comes from leather bound books strewn around the room, along with sparsely placed black decorations. A beautifully painted "H J & A" (as in, Henry, June, and Anais) on the back wall represents the play’s interconnected lives. Despite its few missteps, Anais Nin... One of Her Lives wraps up in a deliciously whimsical climax. Credit Beckett for pulling her loose ends together in an intimate script that makes you feel as if she herself had closely observed this unusual love triangle.
