In the 1960s, only realists and Republicans could possibly think first lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy was not perfect. She was willowy, whispery, well-spoken. She had chic taste, financial comfort, a handsome husband. And he and she occupied the White House.
But what was she like in private? What did she feel, how did she think?
Tom Dugan, who in 2011 so flawlessly wrote and performed “Nazi Hunter Simon Wiesenthal,” has penned a solo show about Jacqueline Kennedy, later Mrs. Aristotle Onassis, in its world premiere at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts through March 18.
However, where “Wiesenthal” flowed naturally from a man who had no choice but to tell his story to the world, “Jackie Unveiled” wrestles itself uncomfortably into a sort of confessional by a woman who seemed to build her life around strict privacy.
François-Pierre Couture’s elegant scenic design and solid construction transport the audience back to New York stateliness, though it’s seasoned with genteel shabbiness.
In the first act, set on June 5, 1968, the night of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination, Jackie’s spacious apartment is littered with children’s toys and evidence of her chemical romances.
This Jackie too often explains to the audience why we’re in her living room: We’re time travelers she evoked to hear her boozy confessions. Several times, she apologizes for her shifting trains of thought and her sudden willingness to open her life to strangers.
For the second act, set in 1994, Jackie is sober yet dying, but also less inclined to explain the metatheatrics to the audience. It’s a stronger act. Perhaps that’s also because, in the intervening years, she has become a stronger person.
Though, what is personal strength? Is it the ability to maintain the flawless persona on the outside and match it on the inside? Or is it the ability to keep a façade from cracking when the interior is caustic? Or is it just soldiering on, because every human, unless living a strangely insulated life, experiences fear and loss and ultimately death.
On the other hand, this production unveils secrets the general public may not want to know.
Dugan posits that she was a drug user and abuser, that she had more than a brotherly relationship with her late husband’s brother, that she and her father had a peculiarly sensual relationship, that she had a painfully abrasive relationship with her son, that she stayed with her second husband who called her a whore.
With direction by Jenny Sullivan, Saffron Burrows makes Jackie materialize onstage, human yet spectral.
Burrows creates the strong nonrhotic and somewhat monotone “prestige” accent and the ever-present Mona Lisa smile of the character. She also captures her contrasting steeliness and fragility.
Helping us visualize Jackie, Marcy Froehlich costumes Burrows in royal-blue pajamas and the signature masses of dark hair for the first act. For the second act, Froehlich provides a blood-red pantsuit that’s a touch too baggy, because Jackie was quite ill, topped by a boldly patterned luxurious silk headscarf.
This production certainly unveils a version of Jackie and her “real” self. Jackie uses the word “insightful” more than once, but for all we know it could be “inciteful.”
Are we provoked by the thought of a less-than-perfect extraordinary icon, or are we touched by her ordinary humanness?
Dany Margolies is a Los Angeles-based writer.
‘Jackie Unveiled’
Rating: 3.5 stars
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through March 18
Where: Lovelace Studio Theater at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills
Length: 2 hours, including intermission
Suitability: Teens and adults
Tickets: $60
Information: 310-746-4000, www.thewallis.org
In the 1960s only realists and Republicans could possibly think first lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy was not perfect She was willowy whispery well-spoken She had chic taste financial comfort a handsome husband And he and she occupied the White House But what was she like in private What did she feel how did she think Tom Dugan who in 2011 so flawlessly wrote and performed Nazi Hunter Simon Wiesenthal has penned a solo show about Jacqueline Kennedy later Mrs. Aristotle Onassis in its world premiere at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts through March 18 However where Wiesenthal flowed naturally from a man who had no choice but to tell his story to the world Jackie Unveiled wrestles itself uncomfortably into a sort of confessional by a woman who seemed to build her life around strict privacy François-Pierre Couture’s elegant scenic design and solid construction transport the audience back to New York stateliness though it’s seasoned with genteel shabbiness In the first act set on June 5, 1968 the night of Robert F Kennedy’s assassination Jackie’s spacious apartment is littered with children’s toys and evidence of her chemical romances This Jackie too often explains to the audience why we’re in her living room We’re time travelers she evoked to hear her boozy confessions Several times she apologizes for her shifting trains of thought and her sudden willingness to open her life to strangers For the second act set in 1994 Jackie is sober yet dying but also less inclined to explain the metatheatrics to the audience It’s a stronger act Perhaps that’s also because in the intervening years she has become a stronger person Though what is personal strength Is it the ability to maintain the flawless persona on the outside and match it on the inside Or is it the ability to keep a façade from cracking when the interior is caustic Or is it just soldiering on because every human unless living a strangely insulated life experiences fear and loss and ultimately death On the other hand this production unveils secrets the general public may not want to know Dugan posits that she was a drug user and abuser that she had more than a brotherly relationship with her late husband’s brother that she and her father had a peculiarly sensual relationship that she had a painfully abrasive relationship with her son that she stayed with her second husband who called her a whore With direction by Jenny Sullivan Saffron Burrows makes Jackie materialize onstage human yet spectral Burrows creates the strong nonrhotic and somewhat monotone prestige accent and the ever-present Mona Lisa smile of the character She also captures her contrasting steeliness and fragility Helping us visualize Jackie Marcy Froehlich costumes Burrows in royal-blue pajamas and the signature masses of dark hair for the first act For the second act Froehlich provides a blood-red pantsuit that’s a touch too baggy because Jackie was quite ill topped by a boldly patterned luxurious silk headscarf This production certainly unveils a version of Jackie and her real self Jackie uses the word insightful more than once but for all we know it could be inciteful Are we provoked by the thought of a less-than-perfect extraordinary icon or are we touched by her ordinary humanness Dany Margolies is a Los Angeles-based writer Jackie Unveiled Rating 3.5 stars When 8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday through March 18 Where Lovelace Studio Theater at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills Length 2 hours including intermission Suitability Teens and adults Tickets $60 Information 310-746-4000 www.thewallis.org