Matt Holis Hulsey and Erin McKenna star
“Venus in Fur,” currently playing at Red Barn Theatre is about dominance and mystery.
The story centers on a tardy actress auditioning for a less-than-impressed director. Immediately, the power struggle is upended and the meeting becomes a tango for domination.
The play is based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway play by David Ives, which was created around Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s pioneering German novel of the same name. Matt Holis Hulsey plays director Thomas Amalric and Erin McKenna is the auditioning actress Vanda Seigner.
Thomas Amalric is looking for the perfect actress to play a dominant role for what he discovers are his innermost fantasies. Initially, Vanda comes off as a poorly prepared actress. But Thomas is pleasantly surprised when he learns she shares a name with the character, has every line memorized and brought her own props. As the performance progresses, Vanda becomes more and more dominant, turning a boring audition into an erotic tale.
The audience feels every tilt in the power shift from Thomas’s hand to Vanda’s. It’s superbly executed and, at times, laugh provoking. “Venus in Fur” is playing at The Red Barn Theatre through May 23. To purchase tickets or find out more information go to redbarntheatre.com or call 305-296-9911.
