Marge is a successful photographer and professor of photography. Tiffany is a former student of Marge’s who has become the subject of all Marge’s photographs since they met. They fall in love and are married. But now, six years later, Tiffany is questioning her whole relationship and takes off on a month-long backpacking hike by herself as she tries to figure out if she was and is really loved, or only a prop, a muse in Marge’s life. InterAct Theatre has put on its stage the world premiere of C.A. Johnson’s “The Climb. And it is a fascinating look at art/photography and both the makers and subject of that art.
Two other characters in Johnson’s play help bring out the complexity of Marge (Sam Rosentrater) and Tiffany (Ciera Gardner). One is a new student of Marge’s, Bella (Claris Park), who is fascinated with the history of photography and with her professor’s work. The other is Ike (Trevor Fayle), a man Tiffany meets on the hike. He is a nice guy who talks a lot, but she is not interested in him as she planned for this trip to be a silent hike.
As a photographer and former theater director myself, I was fascinated by the questions raised in “The Climb.” How much of a fine photograph is the product of the photographer or is the model just as important in the final work of art? Who is in control? What does a portrait say? In the lobby of the show, there are many famous works of art (portraits) displayed. How much do we know about these muses? Tiffany is asking those questions of herself. Is she more than an object? She climbs the mountain with Ike, but her climb is far more complex.
Marge too is struggling. She genuinely loves Tiffany, but she has also used her to enhance her own reputation as a photographer. As mentor to Bella, she learns as much from Bella as she gives to the 19-year-old student.
It was Marge who originally introduced Tiffany to hiking and there are flashbacks to that trip as reminders of that first picture that she took of Tiffany that changed the lives of both of them. And though Marge seems unable to take any photos while Tiffany is gone, Bella urges her to shoot. But she takes a photo of the young girl, and Bella, sensing what might happen, rebels.
There are so many other interesting points raised in this drama. Is Marge’s love for Tiffany real or is she a narcissist who is using Tiffany, as my friend who saw the play believes? I love theater which raises questions but doesn’t try to resolve them. In fact, the term male gaze is used. That is when a man objectifies a woman for his own needs. Though she is a woman, is Marge seeing with the male gaze?
Then, there is Ike who is genuinely trying to get to know his fellow hiker. But Tiffany wants nothing to do with him for she sees him in a paternalistic way that she neither needs nor wants. Will the hiking change that experience? So many questions in this finely crafted play by Johnson- from what is art to who we are.
“The Climb” by C.A. Johnson at InterAct Theatre Company at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks St., Philadelphia, PA 19102, 215-568-8079 interacttheatre.org Thru June 23, 2024
Philadelphia Theater Reviews by Frank Burd 