Infinity: Ideas more interesting than unsatisfying whole
Infinity
By Hannah Moscovitch
A Volcano (Toronto) production at the National Arts Centre
Director: Ross Manson
Clever rather than entertaining, playwright Hannah Moscovitch’s 2013 drama Infinity intertwines alternative theories of time with the affinity between mathematics and music overlaying the drama of a dysfunctional family.
At the centre of the storm of ideas and her inability to preserve relationships is Sarah Jean — at times an eight-year-old having a tantrum (three-year-old style); at other times, a serious graduate student in mathematics; but mostly, a confused and unhappy young woman trying to make sense of her life through unsatisfying sexual encounters and crude words and imagery.
Meanwhile, the story of her parents’ meeting, at first an intellectual discussion about music, mathematics and time, quickly moving into a hurried and then rocky marriage, plays out between their daughter’s monologues. Her father, Elliott, pursues his doctorate in Physics, determined to pin down a new theory of time. Her mother, Carmen, a musician and composer — with part of her voice projected through the solo violinist who plays through scene transitions — feels neglected by her distracted husband. She comes close to leaving him when tragedy strikes.
And the script title appears to be drawn from the infinite continuation of dysfunctionality. Carmen sees she is a disappointment to her mother, while Elliot’s mother never wanted him and came close to having an abortion, rather than bringing him into the world. Sarah Jean, conceived in haste and error, is simply next along the timeline in a series of relationship breakdowns (or, as she would put it, she is completely f—– u-).
This is a great deal to fit into an 80-minute one-act play. Does it work? Only part of the time. When Infinity settles for being a play of ideas, it is extremely interesting. When it moves into a type of family drama, it is effective only when some believable emotional connection transcends the words. Assorted gratuitous sexual references, anatomical impossibilities and a conversation that no parents would ever have with an eight-year-old are additional annoyances.
Performances, however, are smooth despite the rough unpleasantness of some of the script. As Elliot, Paul Braunstein is effective as the distracted intellectual and Amy Rutherford is believable as the neglected wife, making as much as she can of the most slightly written of the three roles. As Sarah Jean, Vivien Endicott-Douglas copes efficiently with sliding between age groups.
Director Ross Manson’s use of violinist Andréa Tyniec’s solos and Kate Alton’s choreography underlines the pattern of the transitions, while Teresa Przybylski’s set, reminiscent of a blank page of a musical score, adds another dimension.
There is no denying the cleverness of the effect. But Infinity still seems a very long 80 minutes.
Infinity continues at the NAC Studio to March 11.
Director: Ross Manson
Set and costumes: Teresa Przybylski
Composer/music director: Njo Kong Kie
Choreographer: Kate Alton
Lighting: Rebecca Picherack
Cast:
Elliot Green……………………………….Paul Braunstein
Sarah Jean Green………………………….Vivien Endicott-Douglas
Carmen Green……………………………..Amy Rutherford
Violinist……………………………………Andréa Tyniec