It's a sad fact that though female actresses far outnumber male actors, there are far more parts for males than females. It's a system of inequality that's been there since the very start. Back in Shakespearean times, for example, men played all parts, even those of female characters. And, though it's improved drastically since then, the numbers are pretty striking. In fact, "eighty percent of the roles in the American theatre are played by men, and 90 percent of the directors are men." That's what one of the ladies of the all-female cast of "Anton in Show Business" tells us, anyway. Yes, you heard that right, in the midst of all the male heavy shows in this world, "Anton in Show Business" is full of women, even playing the parts of male characters (take that, Shakespeare!). And these women prove that women can put on a show just as funny, entertaining, and meaningful as any group of guys.
"Anton" is, first and foremost, a comedy. It tells the story of three women, Casey, Lisabette, and Holly, cast in a production of Anton Chekhov's "The Three Sisters." Each has a different backstory, whether filled cynicism, optimism, or diva-ism. Their personalities clash and harmonize in just the perfect way. Throw in a stage manager, a foreign (male) director, and other various theatrical employees, and you've got a perfect recipe for witty, fast-paced comedy. It truly doesn't slow down for a minute, sometimes the actresses even switch characters within the course of a scene. Don't worry about getting too confused, though, that's what Joby is for, a theatre critic who sits among the audience and interjects at any given moment to clarify what's going on, or to just add her two cents into the topic at hand. Who doesn't love a good fourth wall break?
But, "Anton" has more purpose than just to entertain. It's extremely self-aware, a parody of the theatre system as a whole, "self-referential" as Joby calls it. It starts with the audition process, where the director has the women audition by doing absolutely ridiculous exercises, something nearly every actor can relate to. And it only gets more real from there. It delves into topics of race, sexuality, and, of course, women's issues, all while taking time to laugh at itself. Possibly the topic that hits closest to home is the matter of funding. The characters struggle with funding "The Three Sisters." and have to turn to corporate funds, more specifically, funds from a tobacco corporation. With the National Endowment of the Arts future looking grim, this definitely feels very real.
So go see "Anton in Show Business." Laugh at the comedy, ponder the message, and enjoy the self-awareness. It'll be "funny, funny, funny, funny, tragic."
