Theater Review: 'Intimate Apparel' may take your breath away. Go see it!

Esther (Chelsea Bearce), the central character of 'Intimate Apparel' has a dream job designing and sewing exquisite corsets and wedding lingerie for high paying customers in New York City, 1905. In her boarding-house bedroom, she sews enticing intimates and dreams of marriage, her own wedding night, of love and physical intimacy. But for Esther, now 35 years old, her clock is ticking.

The one man she's drawn to is the owner of her favorite fabric store. Esther and Mr. Marks (Jason Berner) share a love for exceptional fabric and tailoring. Kindred spirits, there exists an attraction, even a sexual tension between them which they acknowledge only in a round about way. Social convention and religious traditions hold them apart. Mr. Marks is an Orthodox Jew and betrothed to a woman he's never met. Esther is of African descent and not of Jewish faith.

Then Esther receives a letter. From a man. George Armstrong (Abel Habtegeorgis), a laborer on the Panama Canal. He wants to correspond, Esther's heart leaps. Not able to read or write, she enlists the help of her monied client, Mrs. Van Buren (Rebecca Grayce) to write letters to George. Esther's encouraged by her friend and client, Mayme (AnJu Hyppolite), a high class prostitute, and receives advice from her landlady, Mrs. Dickson (Millee Holliday), who cautions her to guard her heart.

George proposes marriage, Esther accepts, and George moves to New York City. They marry. But neither man nor woman seem to be what their letters promised, and the long awaited intimacy isn't all they'd imagined. As relationships begin to shift, the fear of losing her husband's affections urges Esther on to do something wholly out-of-character.

Esther's story, set in 1905, is fashioned on the author's actual great-grandmother's life. The story is told through a series of conversations, which take place, for the most part, in bedrooms, and reveal the limited choices and compromises each character made to get to where they are in life.

When I saw 'Intimate Apparel' at BOTTG opening night, I was struck most by the exquisite beauty and delicacy of the dialogue and connection between Esther and Mr. Marks. Much credit goes to Lynn Nottage for her brilliant writing, but direction by Dan Clark and nuanced performances by actors Chelsea Bearce and Jason Berner brought out something I could feel: a palpable experience of connection, love, and longing, grounded in respect and admiration, glorious and maddening for its beautifully agonizing sense of impossibility.

This heartfelt production is a win for everyone, especially for those lucky enough to see it. Superb writing, excellent acting, terrific direction, great lighting, costumes, set, et al from the team at BOTTG.

Oh..what out-of-character thing does Esther do? Answers and moments of exquisite beauty and delicacy are waiting for you at BOTTG. They may just take your breath away.

'Intimate Apparel' at BOTTG through May 13. Don't miss it! https://www.beniciaoldtownthea...