Georgia and the Butch: Adapted from Maria Chabot & Georgia O'Keeffe Correspondence, 1941-1949
Adaptation by Carolyn Gage; Directed by Andrew Coopman
The Tank at 312 W 36th St., New York, NY 10018
February 25-March 12
Photo Credit: Evan Reed
The Skeleton Rep’s “Georgia and the Butch’ is a documentary play centering on the relationship between the famed artist Georgia O’Keefe and Maria Chabot. Chronicled using real letters the two sent each other over a period of years, we got a glimpse into the tumultuous relationship a devoted Maria shared with an indifferent Georgia. While the story is one that light must be shed on, the play itself fell flat.
Of course, there were several aspects that were effective as an audience member. The inclusion of Mary’s character, serving as a narrator, allowed for an accessible entry point into this controversial relationship between the two. In this case, her character’s direct addresses to the audience helped orient us; but there was missed potential for a more dynamic use of her character. Specifically, I felt myself craving a bit more detail regarding the exact setting, and felt a little confused about exactly where we were right at the beginning, and which character was which.
The use of the thrust space in the Tank’s 56-seat theatre was strong, with characters managing to address all corners of the room at one point or another. There were also very clear intentions in showing us where offstage elements like the moon and rain were through precise blocking - this was very effective despite the minimal set.
These staging choices were bolstered by effective lighting and sound design; without being overbearing, each section of the play was clearly signified using these changes. A particularly impactful moment was Maria’s car crash - the positioning of the characters, as well as the structure in which the letters were read were particularly helpful in driving home Georgia’s view of Maria.
However, this felt like the only truly impactful moment regarding their relationship. I struggled to feel satisfied by the way their dynamic was uncovered, and it felt as though it was clear that Georgia didn’t truly care for Maria from the beginning. When this was made obvious from the top of the show, I as an audience member found it hard to empathize with either character engaging in what we kids refer to as a ‘situationship.’
Perhaps the play itself could have benefited from a different sequence in which the letters were incorporated into the play - but perhaps, the very point was to showcase just how much Maria loved Georgia, despite all the signs urging her to feel otherwise. There were elements present in the play that allowed for a clear sense of direction, both temporally and thematically, but they were not used to their full potential to allow for a complete immersion into this story.
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Review by Niranjani Reddi.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on March 1st, 2025. All rights reserved.