The Tiger’s Bride

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Upon entering Nancy Manocherian’s the cell theatre for “The Tiger’s Bride,” one is greeted by an actor in Gothic servant garb, welcoming the guests to the wedding of the unpronounceable groom in his unpronounceable home (later learned, Gilles de Rais in the Chateau de Rais) and informing them of the “house rules.” In other words, the audience is instructed where they can’t go and what they can’t touch, but they’re otherwise encouraged to enjoy themselves and are welcome to explore the home and interact with its occupants, guests and actors alike. While milling about before the show/wedding, my theater companion and I came upon the groom himself, Gilles de Rais (Will Watt), chatting with the mischievous servant Erl (Maks Turner). Gile informs us he’s the groom, and I ask, “Is this young man your bride?” Gile replies, out of character but nonetheless with a twinkle, “He wishes.” Erl whisks off in a flash of anachronistic black nail polish and the festivities begin.

After the short and sweet wedding vows and kiss are exchanged, the unnamed Bride (Sammy Marsh) removes her dress and promptly begins an acrobatic aerial silk dance, as of course any bride at any wedding might do. Gilles excuses himself for a work emergency, not before giving his new bride the keys to all the rooms in the house, warning her not to open one certain door. The bride and other staff separate and travel up and down the various floors, luring the audience to follow and take part in the various engagements they present.

“The Tiger’s Bride” is a tale loosely based on novelist Angela Carter’s feminist retelling of “Bluebeard’s Castle,” combined with a few oddly mashed classic fairy tales and sporadic acrobatic acts. It’s a truly mixed bag of entertainments, throughout which the audience is encouraged to wander freely.

Across the evening one is reminded of the hugely popular Sleep No More, which had the advantage of a much larger space and the anonymity offered to its audience through the use of plague masks.

Director/writer Suzanne Karpinski has made a valiant effort to corral the chaos by encouraging the audience to get a card stamped by the actors in the various spaces, presumably in the hopes they’ll avoid revisiting the same scene more than once, but the four floors of the building are quickly explored and there’s nothing new to discover after far too short a time. Sounds and dialog bleed across scenes in different areas separated only by curtains, splintering the audience’s attention. To the actors’ credit, they’re all having a marvelous time playing their parts; their enthusiasm is infectious, even if their acting often lacks the subtlety which the intimate playing spaces beg for.

Mood and ambiance are well-wrought by the combination of Steve Pavlovsky’s production design, Will Watt’s sound design, and Cate DiGirolamo’s lighting design; Maestro Lily Desmond’s haunting vocals and instruments are a highlight. The costumes for “creature design” by Jen Taves are delightful.

Ninety minutes don’t go by fast enough before the Bride finally opens the door she’s not supposed to just as the groom comes home, and the play comes to a dramatic finish, the audience ogling the abounding blood and silk. “The Tiger’s Bride” is an inventive endeavor that would fare better if performed with more nuance in a larger space, but the production is notable for its ingenuity and efforts.

The Tiger’s Bride (extended through March 10, 2024)

Theatre Uzume

Nancy Manocherian’s the cell theatre, 338 W. 23rd Street, in Manhattan

For tickets, visit https://www.thetigersbridenyc.com/

Running time: 90 minutes without an intermission