The Mineola Twins
The changing roles of women during 30-plus years of the 20th century are lampooned mercilessly and hilariously in Paula Vogel’s “The Mineola Twins,” playing through Oct. 24 at Moxie Theatre.
The time frame is three U.S. presidential administrations: those of Eisenhower, Nixon and George H.W. Bush, from the early '50s to the early ’90s.
The “almost identical” Mineola twins live in that tiny town on New York’s Long Island. But there’s nothing identical about them: they are polar opposites in physique, temperament and attitude and – get this – are played by the same actress.
Samantha Ginn, a Moxie regular, is a wonder as both straightlaced, conservative Myrna and her free-wheeling, liberal twin Myra as they age from teens to adults, learning to deal with men and figuring out what they want to do in life along the way.
One big thing is, of course, that three-letter word starting with S. Myra, slight of build and endowments, has a fairly casual attitude about it, to the extent that the twins’ father has already dubbed her “the whore of Babylon.” But Myrna (much better endowed) is (as my mother used to say) “saving herself.”
Along for the ride here are fellow actors Phillip Magin and Desireé Clarke, who morph into several characters including psych ward attendants, sons and potential lovers.
Phillip Magin and Samantha Ginn
Reiko Huffman’s set features a bed on either side, a colorful sort of podium in the middle and a few steps to a walkway leading offstage in either direction.
One thing Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Vogel is expert at is spoofing sexual, political and cultural norms, and this script is a roller-coaster ride of one-liners, funny situations and visual jokes played at warp speed by a cast that frequently has to dash offstage (usually to change character and costume) and run back on for the next scene.
Jennifer Eve Thorn, Moxie’s artistic director, helms the show with a sure hand (no easy task, considering all the craziness going on). The actors carry props and set pieces on and offstage, morph very quickly from one character to another, and manage to keep the 90-minute show at about that mark. You may wish it were longer.
Danita Lee’s costumes and hair styles for the twins are hilarious, especially in comparison. Myrna favors pink, sweaterlike tops that both accentuate and cover her attributes. Myra goes for the more casual, with-it looks, easier to get into and, ahem, out of.
Missy Bradstreet’s wigs, mostly curly (it was the style, right?) but in various lengths, manage to convey different messages along with the costumes.
Lighting, sound and props are well handled by Christopher Loren Renda, Matt Lescault-Wood and Alyssa Kane. Kudos to Cynthia Bloodgood, who handled the technical stuff.
If you’re looking for relief from the 24-hour news cycle, or just feel like seeing something funny, you can’t do better than to spend 90 minutes with the ladies (and gents) of Moxie Theatre.
“The Mineola Twins” plays through October 24. Thursdays at 7:30, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
For information: www.moxietheatre.com
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