Theatre Review: 'In The Next Room, or The Vibrator Play,' At The Wilma
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Fasten your seatbelts, theatregoers. You are about to be exposed to what's been termed a "blush-inducing" historical drama glorifying the vibrator and celebrating the needs of women -- and in some cases, men too.
What we have in this Wilma Theater production of "In The Next Room" is the third Sarah Ruhl play to visit the Wilma.
The theatre's artistic director, Blanka Zizka, has split the audience on both sides of the stage, allowing a better view of the scenes and characters.
Set in the 1880's, the players react to the early wonders of electricity and an ambitious doctor exposing his patients to the "magic" of the vibrator, allowing the confused and faint-hearted positive and firm reaction to electric impulses in "sensitive" areas.
While our doctor is firm in guiding his female patients, he manages to keep his wife away from such matters for most of the drama.
The patients are direct and honest in their reaction to the magic instrument and the audience in the theatre reacts with limitless laughter.
"In The Next Room, or The Vibrator Play" is set to run at The Wilma, Broad and Spruce Streets, through April 3rd.
Reviewed by Bob Nelson, KYW Newsradio 1060.
