Fanciful, Unforgettable and Edgy

big love

Photo by A. Pierce Bounds '71.

Mermaid Players present a wild celebration of love

by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

The ancient Aeschylus classic The Suppliant Women is a riveting tale about justice, revenge and the battle of the sexes. Contemporary playwright Charles L. Mee turns that tale on its ear in his unconventional telling, Big Love, creating a wild celebration of love that explores still-relevant social injustices like domestic abuse and gender inequality.

“It’s all about refugees and gender wars and men and women trying to find what will get them through the rubble of dysfunctional relationships, and anger and rage and heartache,” said Mee, in a 2003 Open Stages interview. It’s also, according to The New York Times, “a fanciful theater piece you will never forget.”

The Mermaid Players present Big Love Friday, Feb. 26, Saturday, Feb. 27, Monday, Feb. 29 and Tuesday, March 1, in Mathers Theatre, Holland Union Building. All shows are at 8 p.m. Regular admission is $7; student admission is $5 with student ID.

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Published February 25, 2016