Above : Riley Thomas as Dr Givings and Sarah Greenwood as his wife, Mrs Catherine Givings.
American playwright Sarah Ruhl’s 2009 play IN THE NEXT ROOM OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY is played for laughs. Lots of laughs.Then again, there is no other way to play it. This is a boisterous, laugh out loud comedy.
Ruhl’s play, a work of historical fiction, is set in upstate New York during the late 19th century shortly after the end of the American Civil War, and just after the arrival of electricity. Dr Givings is a doctor specialising in gynaecological disorders, and in his home surgery is treating women who he has diagnosed with the medical condition hysteria by massaging their genital area with a new electronic device, a very primitive form of the vibrator, which resulted in them achieving a paroxysm, the old word for orgasm, which then resulted in a lessening of neurosis.
Dr Givings, nor for that matter any of his clients’, are the play’s main character. This honour belongs to Dr Givings wife Catherine who is not in a good way, and comes across as unstable. The couple recently had a baby girl Felicia but unfortunately Catherine does not have enough breast milk to satisfy her. Catherine is distressed and has to contemplate employing a wet nurse, something which she is very reluctant to do.
We start to follow Catherine’s journey from there but things take on a more dramatic turn when Catherine becomes curious, very curious, about the strangely overwhelming noises coming out of her husband’s surgery, and the oddly euphoric expressions of the women as they leave. Will she want some of what they’re having?!
Sarah Ruhl plays out her take on the subject for laughs, and this New Theatre production, well directed by Emma Whitehead, really drives home the rich vein of comedy.This show is hilarious.
The design team; brilliant veteran designer Tom Bannerman’s set, Hugo Fraser’s period costumes, Jay Murrin’s sound, Alicia Badger’s lighting design, have been calibrated to give the stage action the best impact.
The cast of seven are terrific. It was amazing to see that the actors, for a large part, managed to keep straight faces.
Riley Thomas strikes the right tone as the very professional, matter of fact, Dr Givings Sarah Greenwood gave a very solid performance as his frustrated wife, Catherine.
Lisa Kelly gives the performance of the night, and is hysterically funny, as Dr Givings main patient, Sabrina Daldry, who gets frequent flyer points with her increasingly regular appearances at Dr Givings clinic
Lewis McLeod plays her sweet, well meaning husband, Dick Daldry.
Ruva Shoko gives a very sympathetic, poignant performance as the Daldry’s housewife, Elizabeth, who tragically lost her baby, and became a wet nurse for Catherine to breastfeed Letitia.
Luke Visentin is great as the very over the top artist Leo Irving who Catherine has a thing for.
Alyona Popova is marvellously deadpan as Dr Givings erstwhile nurse, Annie.
The show was so much fun, and was so well done, it was a downer when it ended.
Well done to all!
A New Theatre Company production, Sarah Ruhl’s IN THE NEXT ROOM OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY opened at the New Theatre, 542 King Street, Newtown on Thursday 24th April and is playing until the 17th May 2025. Performance times Thursdays to Saturdays at 7.30pm and Sundays at 2pm. The final performance will take place on Saturday 17th May at 2pm.
Production photography by Bob Seary.
