Who knew a play about a stamp could be so riveting?! Of course, the 2007 Broadway play
Mauritius by Theresa Rebeck (who also wrote
Bernhardt/Hamlet, produced by Theatre Pro Rata last year) is about much more than stamps and the cut-throat world of
philately. It's about grief, and family dynamics, and the way death can bring out the worst in people, and grifters trying to make a buck off of someone else's grief. It's kind of a mystery dramedy thriller of a play, brought to life in an excellent production by Stage North. They've unfortunately moved out of their original home the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis and into a new space known as 480 Arts in St. Paul's Midway neighborhood. I can't imagine this work on the Capri's stage in their proscenium theater, it's so much more suited to this intimate in-the-round staging (although the Capri also has a black box space where Ten Thousand Things regularly performs). The talented five-person cast, clear and smart direction, and almost immersive staging make for a very entertaining evening of theater.
Mauritius plays Thursdays through Sundays until November 17.
