Garage Theatre Ably Handles the Power Dynamics of “Venus in Fur”

Sigmund Freud. Marquis de Sade. Anaïs Nin. The douche who wrote 50 Shades of Grey. The list of writers exploring what makes us tick sexually — particularly when it deviates from the “norm” — is plenty longer than your dick.

Leopold von Sacher-Masoch fits firmly within that tradition. You know how Sade put the S in S&M? Well, now you know about the M, which comes via Sacher-Masoch’s short 1870 novel Venus in Fur, wherein he delves into his desire to be dominated. (Sidebar to Velvet Underground fans: Yes, it’s the source of “Venus in Furs”.)

In David Ives’s play of the same name, Thomas (Matt Anderson) is at his wit’s end trying to find a leading lady for his stage adaptation of the eponymous novel. But in walks Vonda (Emily Formentini), who’s preternaturally perfect for the part. And as they work scenes and discuss the whence and wherefore, their reality goes far deeper than a casting call.

As with any two-hander, Venus in Fur (which from here on out means the play) would be sunk without a strong pairing, but Formentini and Anderson ably fit the bill. Formentini could stand to be more conversational during the first ten minutes, but after that she’s perfect, regularly shifting gears — personas, really — as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. Meanwhile, Anderson’s intensity cannot be denied. If there’s a quibble, it’s that the mean (as in average, not grrr) amplitude of his big/loud moments is, say, 8.2, whereas 6.9 would foment more nuance in his overall performance and give him more top end when it’s really time to crank it up. (He’s consistently great on the quiet side. Perhaps he’ll go there a bit more as the run progresses.)

Maybe the most important aspect of the acting here is Anderson & Formentini’s chemistry. Forgive me for getting a bit Foucault on your ass, but Venus in Fur is all about power relations, and Thomas & Vonda’s power dynamic is in constant flux (on the surface, at least). The steps and shifts in this shimmering dance of dominance/submission come quick both between their real selves and in the play-within-a-play scenes that dart in and out for the “real” action or even double it. It’s quite a whirl, and on this count the production never falters.

How much of this emanates from first-time director Alexi McGinness and how much from Formentini & Anderson’s natural interplay? Hey, there’s no “I” in team. All you care about is that together they get right the most important aspect of Ives’s script.

Venus in Fur has its shortcomings. Even before the halfway point the perspicacious viewer will know exactly where this is all heading. And all that portentous thunder/lightning is hackneyed even if Ives is trying to play with the conventions of ancient Greek theatre.

But if pop culture is any indication, most people don’t get off on subtlety — and they love shows about power almost as much as they love shows about sex. So okay, come for the themes, but stay for the performances.

Venus in Fur at the Garage Theatre
Times: Thursday–Saturday 8:00 p.m.
The show runs through April 15
Cost: $18–$25 (Thursdays 2-for-1); closing night w/afterparty: $30
Details: thegaragetheatre.org
Venue: The Garage Theatre, 251 E. 7th St., Long Beach