A Brooklyn-based production attempts to shed light on the life of a prominent American figure, but ultimately falls short in its exploration of complex themes.
Our American Queen, directed by Christopher McElroen, tells the story of Kate Chase, daughter of Salmon P. Chase, who finds herself entangled in her father's presidential ambitions and personal relationships. The play delves into the intricacies of female power, ambition, and emotional distance, raising intriguing questions about its titular character.
Despite a talented cast, including Wallis Currie-Wood as the enigmatic Kate, the production struggles to balance historical accuracy with dramatic flair. Thomas Klingenstein's script often meanders into exposition, weighing down the dense dialogue and leaving little room for banter or wit. The play's attempts at exploring Kate's inner world are similarly hamstrung, with her intellectual prowess and political machinations confined largely to domestic settings.
The production's technical aspects show promise, particularly in Neal Wilkinson's set design, which effectively captures the grandeur of 19th-century America. However, the enormous dining table that serves as a focal point for much of the play also proves to be a hindrance, limiting character connections and interpersonal dynamics.
One notable exception is the chemistry between Kate and her love interest, John Hay, played by Tom Victor. The pair's flirtatious sparring is expertly nuanced, with both actors conveying vulnerability and repressed emotions that add depth to their characters. Darrell Brockis, who portrays Salmon P. Chase, also delivers a solid performance, although his patchy accent occasionally jars.
Ultimately, the play's greatest challenge lies in reconciling Kate's fictional motivations with her real-world actions. The result is an uneven narrative that leaves audiences uncertain about what drove this formidable woman. Despite its intriguing premise and talented cast, Our American Queen feels like an incomplete portrait of a complex historical figure, one whose full story remains waiting to be told.
Our American Queen, directed by Christopher McElroen, tells the story of Kate Chase, daughter of Salmon P. Chase, who finds herself entangled in her father's presidential ambitions and personal relationships. The play delves into the intricacies of female power, ambition, and emotional distance, raising intriguing questions about its titular character.
Despite a talented cast, including Wallis Currie-Wood as the enigmatic Kate, the production struggles to balance historical accuracy with dramatic flair. Thomas Klingenstein's script often meanders into exposition, weighing down the dense dialogue and leaving little room for banter or wit. The play's attempts at exploring Kate's inner world are similarly hamstrung, with her intellectual prowess and political machinations confined largely to domestic settings.
The production's technical aspects show promise, particularly in Neal Wilkinson's set design, which effectively captures the grandeur of 19th-century America. However, the enormous dining table that serves as a focal point for much of the play also proves to be a hindrance, limiting character connections and interpersonal dynamics.
One notable exception is the chemistry between Kate and her love interest, John Hay, played by Tom Victor. The pair's flirtatious sparring is expertly nuanced, with both actors conveying vulnerability and repressed emotions that add depth to their characters. Darrell Brockis, who portrays Salmon P. Chase, also delivers a solid performance, although his patchy accent occasionally jars.
Ultimately, the play's greatest challenge lies in reconciling Kate's fictional motivations with her real-world actions. The result is an uneven narrative that leaves audiences uncertain about what drove this formidable woman. Despite its intriguing premise and talented cast, Our American Queen feels like an incomplete portrait of a complex historical figure, one whose full story remains waiting to be told.
... I mean, the cast is solid, Wallis Currie-Wood does look like Kate Chase, but the script just doesn't quite work, you know? It's all over the place - sometimes it's like they're trying to cram in too much history and politics, and then other times it feels super slow. And don't even get me started on that dining table... I get why they wanted a grand space, but it kinda takes away from the characters' interactions 
. The chemistry between Kate and John Hay is on point though! 
Tom Victor and Darrell Brockis do their best with the material they've got. And can we talk about how fascinating the real-life story of Kate Chase is? I feel like this production just scratched the surface... maybe a sequel or something? 
, I mean, it's got all the ingredients for a juicy drama but somehow it just doesn't quite come together. The cast is talented, don't get me wrong, Wallis Currie-Wood shines as Kate Chase, but the script is like, totally lost in its own complexity. It's like they're trying to cram too many themes into one play and it ends up being all over the place 
.
, I mean, I love a good historical set design as much as the next person but come on, can't you just have a normal conversation without having to navigate around a giant dinner table? And the chemistry between Kate and John Hay is real though 
, they've got some great scenes together.
, which is kinda frustrating when you can tell they're not quite there yet.
. The chemistry between Kate and John Hay though... that's what made me go from "meh" to "actually kinda enjoyed this"... but still, feels like we're missing out on so much with Kate's story 
. The cast is on point, especially Wallis Currie-Wood as Kate Chase, she's got the whole 'independent woman' vibe down pat 
. But the writing? Eh, it's like they're trying to cram too much into one play 
. It's like they took all these great themes and ideas and just phoned it in. 
. And Darrell Brockis does a solid job as Salmon P. Chase, he's just...meh with the accent 
. Overall, it felt like they missed an opportunity to really dig deep into Kate's life and make this play something special.
, and Darrell Brockis's performance as her dad was solid 
. I also wished they could've explored Kate's inner world more - we get hints of her intelligence and ambition, but it feels like there's so much more depth that could be dug into 
. And can we talk about the chemistry between Kate and John Hay? 
It was so nice to see them have some real moments together! Maybe they should've done a sequel or something 
But sometimes I felt like they were just going through the motions instead of really exploring Kate's character. And don't get me wrong, Wallis Currie-Wood and Tom Victor are amazing as her mom and love interest - their chemistry is on point 
But I think they could've done more with the supporting cast, especially with Darrell Brockis' accent... it kind of pulled me out of the story 
.
. And Darrell Brockis's performance as Salmon P. Chase was solid, even if his accent did take a bit of getting used to.
. Maybe they can revisit some of these themes in a future production? 
. I mean, I get that it's hard to balance fact with fiction but this production just didn't pull it off.
. Maybe explore Kate's inner world more? Balance historical accuracy with drama better? I don't know, but it feels like they missed an opportunity to tell a really compelling story 
.
I'm so disappointed in dis play 
The casting is on point tho 
and the chemistry between her and Tom Victor is 
And that dining table tho 
. But for real though, Kate Chase sounds like a fascinating figure, and I'm always here for complex female characters 
The set design is dope though, it totally transported me to 19th-century America 
. Can't we do better than that when it comes to representing an American icon?
, but the direction was a bit off. I like how Neal Wilkinson designed the set though, it brought back that old America vibe