Feminists come in all shapes and sizes. JC Lee’s Relevance, an MCC production at the Lucille Lortel Theater, presents a clash between a seasoned author and old school academic, Theresa (the formidable Jayne Houdyshell), and a freshly minted writer Mesmaji (Pascale Armand), given to texts, tweets, and social media. Age and looks aside, these two spar on a panel moderated by the ambitious and opportunist Kelly (Molly Camp), Theresa must have been something in her day. In a hotel room with her agent (Richard Masur) we learn of a long ago affair, but now she’s hit a time when all attention is on the new improved version: smart, sexy and African-American. But shouldn’t feminists be on the same side, fighting against economic inequity and gender harassment? In Relevance, the old and the new do not even speak the same language.

Despite her initial arrogance at the panel when she, white and thereby privileged even though she comes from the non-moneyed heartland and still answers to her mother, would not give Mesmaji a moment to speak, Theresa’s character seems most sympathetic as she insists, “You took what I said the wrong way. It’s not what I meant.” These words seem plucked from the headlines in issues regarding accused predators. Further, she outs Mesmaji for changing her name from Tiffany and faking a history of poverty and privation. As we know, alternate truth has currency. You can imagine the sympathies falling the other way toward Mesmaji, which must surely be what Lee and director Liesl Tommy intended.

One character does say, “Relevance must be earned.” Earned or not, this play has relevance galore. Watching it, however, feels like an academic exercise.

Regina Weinreich

Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura