Originally written by Tadeusz Rozewicz in Polish in 1975, Mariage Blanc literally means ‘white marriage’ in translation, but the more accurate interpretive translation would be ‘unconsummated marriage’. Melissa Bubnic has created a clever adaptation for the Sydney Theatre Company, faithfully rendering Rozewicz’ irreverent jibes at conservative Catholic mores and Poland’s version of upper class Victorian sensibilities. Despite this, there is some jarring with the inclusion of overly earnest scenes where the heavy themes that run below the surface of the action finally bubble up and aren’t dismissed with surreal trivialities.
Through lewd humour and moments of awkward tenderness we follow two sisters, Bianca (Paige Gardiner) and Pauline (Katie McDonald), as they deal with their own sexual self-consciousness in widely divergent ways.
Bianca is the more introspective and reflective of the two, hyper-anxious about keeping her integrity in the face of an arranged marriage and scornful of the patriarchal thumb keeping her gender repressed. Her response is to withdraw into a cocoon of what is perceived as prudishness, but her sexual explorations continue unabated without the help of a partner.
The play gives hints about the causes of her temperament – a neglectful and chauvinistic father (Sean O’Shea), unfulfilled and sexually repressed mother (Lucia Mastrantone), a random flasher dressed as Santa who accosts her, and a grandfather (Peter Kowitz) whose portrayal can best be described as ‘cheeky paedophile’. But none of these are really thoroughly explored, Rozewicz preferring to sweep them under the comfortable rug of surrealist flamboyance. And this would have been perfectly acceptable, had the more realist, melodramatic scenes been excised and the whole production turned into an end of days, taboo-smashing wrong-fest. However, the earnestness and sentimentality (such as the leitmotif of Bianca’s mourning garb as symbol of her beauty), which crept in lent the play a schizophrenic tone.
Pauline is a more likeable, relatable character for 21st century Australian audiences, with her effortless sensuality, laissez-faire comportment, gluttony, and baulking at the moralising of the old folks. She has no qualms about accepting chocolates and gifts from her lecherous grandfather, in return for playing ‘horse rides’ on his knee and letting him sniff her stockings. She seduces Bianca’s frigid and teste-popping husband-to-be, Benjamin (Gig Clarke) by getting him to act out S&M scenes with her in a decadent Roman garb, while Peeping Tom grandpa watches on in secret.
There are some truly hilarious, bizarre scenes in this production, including the day of the wedding where everyone is naked and wearing forest creature masks, except for the newlyweds. Still, the lack of consistency in the overall tone detracted from the power of the play.
Sydney Theatre Company presents
Mariage Blanc
Written by: Tadeusz Rozewicz
Adaptation: Melissa Bubnic
Director: Sarah Giles
Set Designer: David Fleisher
Costume Designer: Gavan Swift
Composer & Sound Designer: David Heinrich
Cast: Gig Clarke, Paige Gardiner, Sacha Horler, Peter Kowitz, Lucia Mastrantone, Katie McDonald, Sean O’Shea
Wharf 2 Theatre, Walsh Bay
1 – 16 December
