In The Next Room or the vibrator play, Lyceum Theater

I entered the Lyceum Theater on a rainy afternoon after Christmas with my girlfriend to catch a showing of In The Next Room or the vibrator play, a play by Sarah Ruhl, to see what all the buzz was about.

The theater was full of  a much, much older crowd. I had the pleasure of sitting next to a 60-something year old woman, from Long Island, with the heavy accent to boot, and her group of 5 or 6 older female friends.

The Lyceum Theater, a  beautiful venue, was packed it seemed with many out-of-towners, and not very many youngsters. And that is because, as the title might suggest, In The Next Room or the vibrator play is not a play for kids.

The story takes place in the 1880s, in the home of Dr. Givings (Michael Cerveris) who tends to his female patients suffering from hysterias with a new device, use of which is made possible by the new invention of electricity.

While the Dr.’s wife, Mrs. Givings (Laura Benanti), is bored and lonely, tending to their newborn daughter, she slowly becomes curious about the strange sounds coming from the next room where her husband treats his patients. This leads to a chain of events that are both comical and sad as these sexually repressed women come to terms with the new sensations they experience from this strange device. There are several other stories mixed in involving Elizabeth (Quincy Tyler Bernstine), the wet nurse hired by the Dr. and his wife, the doctor’s female patient, Mrs. Daldry (Maria Dizzia), Annie, the nurse (Wendy Rich Stetson), and others (Thomas Jay Ryan and Chandler Wiliams).

But at the core of it all is the relationship between the two main characters, the Dr. and his wife, and their intimacy and connection with one another.

On a side note, during intermission, I thought it hysterical and interesting to listen to the conversations had between the older women sitting next to me about vibrators and sex, as they equated the views and situations of the women as seen in the play to the sexual taboos that were in place still even when they themselves were young married women.

And this is what struck me the most about the play. How sad it must’ve been for the women of these times who were so misunderstood, so repressed, so sheltered, and how much sadder still was the lack of compassion and sympathy they received not only from society, but from their very husbands. I also thought how amazing it was that the innovations, such as these vibrators, which were initially and most definitely not used to stimulate sexual pleasure, managed to evolve into devices that have led to the sexual freedom, expression, and independence for so many, especially women.

I thought it was a wonderful show. The cast was amazing, the acting strong.  I fell in love with Mr. Cerveris’ character, but also with Ms. Tyler Bernstine’s. I thought Ms. Benanti was amazing has she held center stage beautifully during most of the show, and Ms. Rich Stetson, though initially seen as a side character, became such a strong part of the overall message in the show, that she managed to both break my heart and make me tear up.

And though it is not a show for the young, the prude, or the close-minded, it is a wonderful theatrical experience that takes you into what it must’ve been like to be, not only for a woman, but a sexual, loving soul during these incredible times of innovation and discoveries.

In The Next Room or the vibrator play runs through January 10

Lyceum Theater

149 West 45th Street

New York, NY 10036-4042

(212) 239-6200

Photos courtesy of The Lincoln Center Theater.

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