Review: "Simple Math" - Solving the Neurobiology of Assault
Katherine Hebert
Contributing Critic - New York
The lights come up on a potted plant, behind it a chalkboard, a woman crawls through the audience to the stage as a two-person orchestra plays beside her. The woman struggles to her feet, takes a few moments to acclimate to her surroundings then faces the audience and asks; “Shall I begin”. What ensues after this is a non-linear dive into a student/mentor relationship that goes awry. Exploring themes of grooming and consent this piece is sure to feel all too familiar for anyone who lacks a Y chromosome.
“Simple Math” is a one-woman play written by and starring Lisa Danielle Buch, their first showcase was at New York Fringe this past weekend and I was fortunate enough to catch it before their final curtain.
It follows the story of a woman who just out of college decides she finally wants to pursue theatre professionally and begins studying with a Broadway veteran. But when subtle sexual harassment escalates into sexual assault she stifles her intuition and begins utilizing basic equations to find some clarity that ultimately leaves her with only one answer “It’s not your fault”.
Leaden with visual metaphors this piece offers a fresh perspective on an all-to relative problem. Buch tackles the nuances of coercion and assault with a fair bit of humor that is complimented by Ben Stockman’s direction. Which keeps her moving and speaking rapidly. Whilst Maridee Slater’s choreography articulates the journey our performer is on without words. Additionally Buch manages to portray multiple characters as well as compartmentalized versions of herself (her intuition is its own character) using nothing but her physicality as a way to differentiate the two from each other. A definite challenge for any actor but not one that Buch seemed to have any issue with undertaking. This is illustrated with Buch’s abilities to flow seamlessly between instances of both humor and trauma with a raw intensity and sincerity. And as far as production elements go the lighting design and music aid “Simple Math” in immersing the audience into the world of the play.
The narrative is always framed as a story about a struggle for identity first. If sexual assault wasn’t mentioned in the title of the play one wouldn’t realize they were watching a play about assault. So, when the plot takes a very dark turn the audience is just as devastated as our protagonist. And it should be noted that nothing about the sequences of assault (and yes we do witness this with the protagonist) feel exploitative. In fact the decision to make this piece a one-woman show makes the most sense during these sequences. By taking the attacker out of the equation altogether the rape becomes more of an implication then event. This puts the emphasis on the impact of rape for the victim rather than on the act itself making it an unpleasant but incredibly powerful sequence that never feels in poor taste. Rather than feeling like we are witnessing a crime we’re instead brought into the experience with her resulting in a non-triggering but still immensely effective sequence.
What’s even more interesting is instead of focusing on the type of rape that is typically portrayed in mainstream media, Buch’s “Simple Math” intends to explore the nuances of sexually aggressive behavior. Things like off color comments about women’s bodies, small invasions of personal space. Acts that border on inappropriate but are never blatant enough (atleast in our minds) to warrant discussion until it’s too late. “Simple Math” is a play about the female experience framed as a story of self-discovery. It’s about the daily struggle of dodging unwanted advances while not seeming “uptight”, as well as the small allowances women make to avoid being chastised as well as the subsequent shame that is heaped upon them once they finally say enough is enough.
But Buch makes one thing clear throughout this piece, she isn’t a victim she’s a survivor. So many of the plays that tackle rape and assault have a tendency to dwell in the tragedy of their circumstances. In pieces like this typically there’s little room for character development and thus no room for nuance. What Buch and her creative team have done successfully in this piece is create a nameless avatar (credited in the program as Performer) that the audience is endeared to well before any sexual misconduct takes place whilst placing her in a well-structured narrative. The sexual assailant’s identity is still a reveal and he is someone that we end up forming an attachment to with our performer so when his betrayal takes place the audience is just as affected as she is.
In short, Buch has successfully crafted a movement based, cathartic and deeply personal triumph that serves as both a play and a confession. It’s a shout of primal rage into the void. But in world rampant with Kavanaghs, Weinsteins and Polanskis, art that explores the intricacies of consent and the subsequent trauma that takes place when consent is violated is vital to continuing that discussion. In a year where it was very difficult to be a woman “Simple Math” offers a cathartic revelation for countless people who have been assaulted and then groomed or shamed into silence with its message being: you’re not alone, and more importantly it isn’t your fault. And given the current political climate one can’t help but commend that.
Simple Math is ran Oct. 12th-28th at the Fringe NYC