A Funny, Complex "Perfect Arrangement" at Theatre in the Round Players

Millie and Bob, and their neighbors Norma and Jim, seem to be the picture of 1950s domestic bliss, but they have a secret – Millie’s really with Norma, and Bob’s with Jim. Their arrangement has worked so far to keep them together and keep them safe from dire societal consequences, but when Bob and Norma’s jobs require them to seek out “deviants” such as themselves, they’re all in danger of being outed.

Perfect Arrangement, produced by Theatre in the Round Players, is at times a very silly play. The humor is forefront from the start, and occasionally veers into slapstick, but over time the story leads to an emotional conflict as the four main characters are forced to question their morals, their relationships, and whether this arrangement is really as perfect as it seems.

Theatre in the Round Players scheduled this play to coincide with Pride Month and has complemented it with additional programming, including post-show discussions, suggested follow-up resources, and a lobby display. This display, provided by the Tretter Collection of the University of Minnesota, is a fascinating look at important moments in Minnesota's LGBT+ history; I recommend getting to the theater early so you can take your time going through it.

I always enjoy how dynamic staging in the round feels, because your viewing angle forces you to notice different details; every audience member may have a slightly different experience of the show. Director Alissa Blaeser’s staging balanced the realism of the setting with playing to the whole audience and using the full space. The pacing was snappy, which kept the jokes rolling. Everything worked well together to bring out the themes and questions posed by the show. Lee Christiansen’s set design included lots of lovely mid-century furniture pieces, with an eclectic mix of accoutrements. I recommend taking advantage of TRP’s setup and walking through the set after the show to get a closer look (without touching, of course). Costume Designer Colleen O’Dell brought in a lot of eye-catching period looks. The formal opera dresses were amazing, but I also loved the casual looks that showed the characters in their most authentic moments.

I don’t usually comment on props, but I was impressed by designer Bobbie Smith’s prop photos, and I noticed what appeared to be an antique envelope moistener. I wasn’t aware such a thing existed, but I’m impressed by the attention to detail. Robert Hoffman’s sound design included some realistic sound effects (I kept imagining there was a door where there was only a curtain) and nice interlude music. I was really pleased with how full Greg Bauer’s lighting design was for this production, seemingly illuminating the actors from all angles and eliminating the shadows that would remind the audience they’re looking at a stage. Besides these designers, I was pleased to see that TRP engaged an intimacy coordinator, which I hope to see more theaters doing in the future.

Of the four main characters, the women more than the men are forced to put on an act, especially when faced with the boss's overly friendly wife. Norma (Ariel Pinkerton) is the more serious of the couple, and more far-sighted; she's the first to worry about the repercussions of her and Bob's work and the first to see cracks in their "perfect arrangement." Millie (Courtney Matula) is more openly emotional and is the hardest working "performer" of the couples, inventing whatever story she needs for keeping the family safe. Pinkerton and Matula shifted seamlessly in and out of their characters' authentic and performative moments; alone, the two actresses had a warm and playful chemistry that was otherwise covered up by showy politeness (and, in a pinch, the familiar trappings of consumerism).

Zach Christensen’s Bob was straight-laced, in control, and the most comfortable fitting in with outsiders, while Jim (Tony Burton) was the least practiced in his societal role, sometimes slipping up and being a little too honest. Bob and Jim have less to lose (financially & societally) if their arrangement falls apart, but they are unwilling to risk losing anything. Christensen had a smooth ease as "Bob the perfect husband," but as the conflict grew, he brought out more and more of Bob's other side: a rigid patriarch afraid of losing control.

Daniel Hildebrand played Bob and Norma’s boss Theodore with a gruff surety that occasionally left him comically oblivious. Alison Anderson's Kitty was gullible and relentlessly friendly, making for plenty of laughs, but when she and Millie actually connect for the first time, it was a touching scene that hinted at Kitty's hidden depth and hard-won wisdom. As co-worker Barbara, Katie Wodele was elegant and cosmopolitan. Barbara is a character that makes no attempt at pretending to be someone different for society's eyes, and her lack of pretense is a direct challenge to the main foursome's carefully constructed arrangement.

What makes this show compelling is the way that the core relationships are challenged and change throughout the show. The four main actors did an excellent job grounding each character's journey, leading to a climax that was complex and far from clear-cut. Perfect Arrangement is on its surface a reminder of (some aspects of) LGBT+ history and the struggles of the past, but it's even more a reminder to question whether the status quo is really serving us, or whether there's something beyond it that is even more worth fighting for. 

Perfect Arrangement runs through June 26th.