Review: Theatrical Outfit’s ‘Revolutionists’ blends historical drama, comedy, self-awareness

Watching The Revolutionists, on stage at Theatrical Outfit through June 28, it’s easy to see why Decatur native Lauren Gunderson has become one of the most widely produced playwrights in America. She has a rare knack for making big ideas seem entertaining without making them seem any less serious or complex. Just as importantly, she understands what makes live theater distinct.

Set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, The Revolutionists imagines an a historical gathering of four women: playwright and activist Olympe de Gouges; assassin Charlotte Corday; deposed queen Marie Antoinette; and the fictional Marianne Angelle, a composite of very real Black Caribbean revolutionary abolitionist women whose names have too often been lost to history. 

Though these women never shared a room, Gunderson brings them together in a fast-moving comedy that explores art, politics, friendship and the ways that history remembers — and often obscures — the lives of real people. 

The play is experimental and even “meta,” but don’t let that frighten you away. It’s never overly serious or inaccessible. Characters speak with a modern frankness that shrinks the distance between the 18th century and today. Their outsized convictions and central roles in world-changing events co-exist alongside their contemporary banter and recognizably modern flaws and vanities. 

Director Amber McGinnis wisely trusts both the script’s approach and her four performers. They navigate Gunderson’s unusual blend of comedy, self-awareness and historical drama with ease. As the central figure, playwright Olympe de Gouges, Courtney Patterson finds both the character’s uneasy ambition and her growing sense of purpose. Tiffany Denise Hobbs’ portrayal of Marianne Angelle captures both the character’s fierce commitment to abolition and its personal costs. And Bethany Anne Lind playfully leans into Marie Antoinette’s Legally Blonde comic persona while revealing unexpected depth beneath the surface. In keeping with Gunderson’s script, Erika Miranda makes even stabby Charlotte Corday seem like a friend you’d like to have.

The show moves at a brisk pace, retaining a strong sense of immediacy. A simple but effective multilevel set by sisters Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay allows characters to move easily between moments of intimacy, action and reflection. A few dance interludes occasionally overstay their welcome, but they ultimately don’t disrupt the mood or momentum.

In the end, the show’s most memorable theme may be friendship itself. Though these women never knew each other, Gunderson imagines meaningful connections across differences of class, circumstance and ideology. By the final scenes, those connections become unexpectedly moving.

Among the play’s many surprises is the way it reminds audiences what live theater does well. The Revolutionists isn’t a screenplay waiting to happen or an essay about history disguised as a play. Its humor, intimacy and emotional power depend on the shared presence of actors and audience. Theatrical Outfit’s production brings it to life.   

Where and When

The Revolutionists is at Theatrical Outfit through June 28. Tickets start at $64. 
84 Luckie St. NW. 

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Andrew Alexander is an Atlanta-based writer.