Carol has come to her professor’s (John) office looking for help. She is confounded and discouraged. She has read the text, made extensive notes, attended class, but content eludes her. When she arrives John is on the phone, trying to resolve familisal issues while she patiently waits. He’s annoyed, he can’t seem to find anyone to actually help, so he gives up. At no time is Carol the object of his frustration. He’s keenly aware of his obligations as an instructor, and treats her with respect. When it occurs to him that his problems are distracting from giving Carol his full attention, he shifts gears. Not that he was hostile or arrogant before. He goes out of his way to be sympathetic, and bring genuine humanity to the table. He may very well come off as lofty or pompous, but neither of these are hanging offenses. And, you know, he is a professor at an ivy league school.
For her part, Carol is something of a train wreck. She has made more than a good faith effort. She feels alone and beaten down and that her situation is hopeless. She feels intimidated, as if incapable of comprehending what she needs to pass. She believes she fails, because she’s a failure. John sympathizes, opens his heart to her, reassures it’s not her lack of skill. It’s an unyielding scholastic system. Carol (intentionally or not) relies on zero sum game. If she’s not responsible, someone else must be. John is proposing a dialectic (argument as a means to truth) as opposed to debate, which necessitates a winner and loser.
Oleanna is a subversive, perplexing drama. Upon inspection, most plays have a dynamic strategy to propel it. Playwright David Mamet is obviously creating some kind of feud between Carol and John (though John’s not interested). He may make unfortunate choices, but have they been egregious, or is Carol disingenuous? Is she conniving or honestly confused? When she consults her peers, and proclaims she’s not speaking for her group, this fundamentally changes their disagreement. John is no longer responsible only for his behavior with her, but every student who’s possibly been wronged by the intelligentsia.
Words, like racism and elitist and imperialism and of course, misogyny and sexism are brought to bear. Carol has become a mascot for causes that have nothing to do with her. It gives her “case” more leverage than it might have. Does she understand that John has no nefarious motives? Has Carol become a puppet for political causes, or is she pretending, to get revenge? Revenge for pity, for inappropriate comfort? When he offers Carol an A, is it for sexual access or ease the stress that’s upsetting her? Is John on the square or is he sly? Does Carol believe she’s been molested, or exploiting ambiguity, because she can?
Mamet wote Oleanna in 1992 long before the Me Too movement, and there’s definitely vision behind it. He anticipated that a good-hearted political swing could hold the guilty accountable. But sadly, also make way for painting each transgressor with the same brush. Perhaps certain exchanges are there to raise doubt. (This next is a spoiler) At a point where John has been maligned repeatedly, after he has continued to be conciliatory and magnanimous. He finally refuses to relinquish control of his curriculum. Carol is astonished. When she hears him on the phone, she proceeds to cross a line. He has a meltdown. He snaps.
John becomes violent and roars wildly inappropriate invective. Was Carol right about him all along, or was he goaded into using misogynist obscenities? Is he accountable for his behavior, when someone sets out to destroy his home and career? There is a viable case to make for Carol, but has she become an obtuse bully? Is she using the incidents to bandage pathological insecurity? Has Mamet inserted this to further confuse us, or does he believe John is some kind of phony? Are Mamet’s motives important, in this case?
The Classics Theatre Project’s production of Oleanna, is canny, disturbing and masterful. The narrative begins gently until it gradually turns tumultuous. Actors Robert San Juan (John) and Devon Rose (Carol) are utterly dedicated to the performance, pulling us into the battle, messing with our minds and hearts. Their energy and spark, rage and layers are phenomenal. It seems they plant a quandary in our brains that only continues to thrive and flourish, until it cracks our skulls. TCTP has taken on a gargantuan grizzly bear and opened the cage. Buy a ticket and buckle your seat belts.
The Classics Theatre Project Presents: Oleanna, playing May 17th -June 16th, 2024. Stone Cottage in Addison. 15650 Addison Rd, Addison, TX 75001. (214) 923-3619. tctpdfw@gmail.com. theclassicstheatreproject.com