Hannah Moscovitch’s new play, Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes,
has a tantalizing title and the timing of its premiere is quite appropriate. We
see sexual misconduct but it involves one person, maybe two and not an entire
middle class let alone middle classes.
Jon is a university professor, separated from his wife, and he notices
and becomes attracted to a pretty first-year student who is wearing a red coat.
His attraction seems to be strictly sexual or esthetic, if you prefer, because
he knows nothing about this woman. But he finds out that Annie shows writing
talent and admires his work.
Alice Snaden and Matthew Edison. Photo: Joy von Tiedemann
His conduct in meeting her approaches stalking but they do meet and
their relationship becomes sexual. If you set aside the fact that he is a
professor and she is his student, you may argue that the relationship is
consensual. Indeed there is no evidence of overt undue influence.
Moscovitch is not interested in a Weinstein or Ghomeshi type of
narrative. This is not a story of abuse and comeuppance. The story is told from
the point of view of the professor who speaks of himself in the third person.
He is examining his own character. He is a talented writer, married three times
who has issues with his personal and professional life.
The play has only the two characters and no one else is involved
directly. In the beginning Annie plays a minor role and we may expect some ups
and downs but a happy ending. That goes by the board when Jon’s wife becomes
pregnant, he goes back to her.
In the latter part of the play Annie’s character is developed and she writes
a book that she is ready to present to Jon. Both of them know that she can
report him to university authorities and that will be the end of his career.
But this in not David Mamet’s Oleana. The two get along years
after the affair is finished.
The set by Michael Gianfrancesco shows a brightly coloured, mostly red corridor
with several doors on each side. A desk and several chairs are about the only props needed. Bonnie Beecher has designed expressive
lighting with good use of spotlights.
Sarah Garton Stanley directs and the performances by Matthew Edison as
Jon and Alice Snaden as Annie are impeccable. But the situation with its humour
and self-analysis by Jon struck me as sparse material for the play. There were
a large number of scenes with some time used for the changes. The play is more
than an hour long and it seems to take a long time to get to the punchline,
effective though it is.
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Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes by Hannah Moscovitch continues until February 2,
2020 at the Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Ave. Toronto, Ontario. www.tarragontheatre.com
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