REVIEW: The Age of Innocence (Arena Stage)

The sun's back. We're getting 60+ degree days every week. People are Outside. Spring is imminent!
Opening this week in Southwest is a new adaptation of Edith Wharton's gilded age epic The Age of Innocence, penned by Karen Zacarias. It's giving Bridgerton — quick disclaimer, I haven’t seen it, so keep that in mind if you disagree with this review—and Arena Stage has decided to lean into it.

Book
Innocence is a popular high school book, for better or worse. In it, Wharton takes from her own experiences growing up in the high societies of 1870s New York. While it feels accurate in this regard, it also lends the piece an air of self-importance that not even Zacarias’ middle-class translations could shake off — even with the exposition of supporting characters that ultimately don’t matter to the outcome. The plot follows a love triangle: Newland Archer, one of Manhattan’s finest nouveau-riche former bachelors, has been engaged to the heiress May Welland, setting off a year of pre-wedding tours and pleasantries as the two families anticipate their union. Entering the fray as this announcement becomes public is May’s cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska, freshly arrived from Europe in the midst of a damning effort to leave her wealthy Polish husband. This level of social feaux-pas complicates the engagement, leaving May and Newland to navigate the treachery or otherwise convince her to not leave her spouse. Complications arise when Newland and Olenska nigh-immediately fall for each other, creating a tense will-they-won’t-they dynamic that haunts the piece throughout its bloated three-hour runtime. In between the lines are several extended periods of narrative dwelling on characters who only serve to remind everyone that “Yep, this is the Gilded Age!”. But at least there’s a solid payoff to this slow burn, right?

…Right?

There certainly is an attempt at one: Newland is not rewarded for his tryst. Following a multi-decade time skip, there’s an epilogue in which the opportunity for a reconnection with Olenska presents itself, and it —smartly, I concede—does not follow through. But though the realism is admirable, it still somehow narratively bland. You’ve sat through three hours of flowery hot goss’, for what? An abrupt sort of, “Well, guess that’s that!”. 3/10
Acting
The characters could avoid becoming a frilly mush of wealth with the right performances. Unfortunately, this production fails to deliver on that mark. Despite some positives (Felicia Curry’s sharp dual turn as Granny Mingott / Narrator, and Shereen Ahmed [Countess Olenska]’s delectable transatlantic accent), the ensemble ultimately does not manage to spring forth emphatically powerful enough performances to make the stakes of the love “triangle” feel urgent or curious. The spirit is there, but more often than not it feels as if everyone is playing the same character, continuing a current of blah around the web of counts and countesses. 2/10
Production
An instant round of applause for Fabio Toblini’s stunning costume designs. When Hana Sharif’s oft-shaky direction needs a boost, it’s there to electrify the space with gorgeous textures and bold colors. Even better do they shine when put into more frivolous motion, such as the Act I dance number; regrettably there is not more of it. The same can be said about Tim Mackabee’s surprisingly sparse staging, which feels as if they didn’t let him finish. The few set pieces that are there are well-organized and detailed, such as different homes having different chandelier types. But the center platform is under-utilized, serving mostly as an elevator for tables and chairs. The production could mostly serve as a fashion show in-the-round, which it would assuredly succeed at. But for a period as luxe as the “Gilded Age”, the void feels out of place. 4/10
Viz
Arena has dedicated a lot of effort to letting people know how splendidly wealthy the vibe is with this production. All over their socials you can see their promotional material showcasing lacey gowns and tailored suits (all in black, though) upon a backdrop of a lavish maison. There’s even more of this, illustrated with a gorgeous sunsetty palette, on the program art. And though there’s elements of this aesthetic present when the audience enters the Fich’, the geometric onyx feels only barely illuminated by the crystal chandeliers on the ground. It’s nice, but doesn’t pop out the same way. 8/10

Verdict

The Age of Innocence could make up its marathon runtime with a commitment to era-appropriate aesthetics brought to life with modern technical elements, but instead is a deflated facsimile of what the Gilded Age represents. 17/40