Unique message of 'Beauty' lost in adaptation
By Lance Vargas

One of the more intriguing aspects of humankind's centuries upon centuries of artistic creation is how each generation contributes to those that follow it. While new ideas are constantly flourishing under all types of artistic banners, there are also older ideas and themes to which modern artists seek to add their new perspectives.

The La Jolla Playhouse's latest play, "Beauty" is an fine example of an adapted version of a past classic. It retains certain effects of the original while at the same time lending more modern philosophies to the original tale.

Modeling her play after the Brothers Grimm's "Sleeping Beauty," playwright and director Tina Landau takes the classic fairy tale and updates it replete with references to mobile phones, pharmaceuticals and even Andy Warhol's fabled 15 minutes of fame.

But the play is more of a blend than a completely new adaptation. The archaic original setting is retained in some instances while some portions of the production is set in modern times. The audience jaunts back and forth from past to present and back again as the hero and heroine search for each other.

The sleeping beauty, Rose, is played adeptly by Kelli O'Hara, who captures all of Rose's innocence with an additional influx of fierce independence. Her restless sleep departs from the original in that she doesn't drift through time catatonically but rails against her predicament with all the energy of a caged tiger. This effect is captured with a little help from long and luxurious sheer fabrics as well as more than a little imagination on the part of the audience.

Rose's ultimate path to freedom is James, played by Jason Daniely. James is a modern man with modern problems who stumbles through time to revive Rose from her millennium-long sleep. Bumbling and unsure, James is hardly a prince, but then again, that's the point.

The all-knowing spellcaster of the play's events is the witch Constance, wonderfully played by Lisa Harrow. Another mixture of past and present ideals, Constance sometimes drifts beyond the fourth wall by referring to her own character and its evolution through the years. A politically correct witch, Constance's feminism is obvious and not without origin.

Weaving in and out of various times, places and worlds, Beauty's set design presents the story with a number of rolling walls and sheer curtains meant to dazzle the audience as well as move action along.

While Landau's version of Beauty is a welcome update of the tale, her method of storytelling and direction is sometimes a bit frenetic and abstract. Things are unfortunately not allowed proper time for digestion before the entire cast is shuffling about the stage for the next scene. For a story that involves a thousand years of solitude, the direction hardly takes the time to make its say before the audience is asked to interpret something else.

"Beauty" is certainly multi-threaded and has some very intriguing messages. Perhaps it attempts to include too many themes, dialogue and artistic gymnastics into its one act.

This is not to say that the play isn't enjoyable. It is certainly a visual and aural delight. All the music, acting and set design are by themselves admirable. However, the story gets lost in the rapid scene changes, sometimes cryptic dialogue and other abstract devices that may leave some audience members out in the cold.

It is a lofty undertaking to bring a story like "Sleeping Beauty" to the modern age. Particularly since it places a woman in a situation in which she can can only be freed by the kiss of the right man. James even addresses how inappropriate it is to kiss an unconscious woman in the play's crux. But what good would an updated adaptation be if it didn't question the work's original intent?

'Beauty' will be shown at La Jolla Playhouse now through Oct. 19. For prices, showtimes and more information, visit www.lajollaplayhouse.com or call (858) 550-1010.