Cyrano de Bergerac, whose wit, bravery, and nose have turned him into a legend, has now arrived at Taffety Punk. And, in an intriguing twist, he is now a she, played with exquisite depth and charm by Kimberly Gilbert and flawlessly directed by Lise Bruneau. The story of Cyrano, sad as it is, could inspire anyone to ponder the question: What kind of world would it be if love were only a matter of the soul?
Edmond Rostand’s play has been popular internationally since its premiere in 1897. The main source of the original’s magnetism is, of course, the character of Cyrano, a spectacularly gifted soldier and poet. He is relentless in the pursuit of his beliefs, but he loves and protects the weak. His titanic nose has rendered him hopelessly insecure. And, predictably, his hatred of hypocrisy has earned him many enemies.
Here, he is a she, in love with the lovely Roxane (Tonya Beckman). Roxane is a précieuse, a 17th-century French woman satirized by Molière for emphasizing refinement and literary elegance. Roxane, in turn, loves the handsome but inarticulate Christian (Gary DuBreuil), a cadet in Cyrano’s company, the “bold Cadets of Gascony.” Cyrano agrees to write Christian’s speeches, letters, and poetry to help him win Roxane.
This Cyrano becomes a love story about a woman who, in a male-dominated society, has more than one motivation for hesitating to declare her love. First, she mistakenly believes she is unworthy, and second, she is in love with another woman. This gives her passion a unique poignance. And yet the story is still very much Rostand’s. Thanks to Gilbert’s extraordinary performance, an exceptionally fine script, and the talented cast, this Cyrano inhabits a universe all her own.
It is heartening, too, to witness the heroism (heroine-ism?) of the kind of woman Cyrano is. A successful soldier, wit, and duelist, she is so devoted to the arts that she literally forces a bad play (and a terrible actor) off the stage. The language, in Lise Bruneau’s script, based on the 1898 translation by Gladys Thomas and Mary F. Guillemard, is perfectly suited to the production. Here is Roxane sharing one of her letters with Cyrano, unaware of the fact that Cyrano wrote it:
CYRANO: He hath an eloquent tongue in telling his love?
ROXANE: ’Tis not simple telling, ’tis dissertation, ’tis analysis!
Listen—here—
(Reciting)
“The more of my poor heart you take
The larger grows my heart!”
How like you those lines?
CYRANO: Meh.
ROXANE: And thus it goes on…
“And, since some target I must show
For Cupid’s cruel dart,
Oh, if mine own you deign to keep,
Then give me your sweet heart!”
CYRANO: Lord! First he has too much, then anon not enough! How much heart does the fellow want?
ROXANE: You would vex a saint!
The original Cyrano has a cast of more than 50. Here, thanks to the heroic efforts of the performers, the play succeeds with only five ingeniously doubled, tripled, and sometimes more than quadrupled actors.
Tonya Beckman is a perceptive and lively Roxane, as forgiving of Cyrano as she is mystified by her. But she also plays a Pickpocket who warns Christian of dangers to come.
Gary DuBreuil — who plays at least four characters in the show — is likable and modest as Christian, ever hopeful that his good looks will be enough to win Roxane. Dan Crane plays the initially sinister Comte De Guiche as well as the delightfully funny Rageneau, who runs a pastry shop but writes poetry on the side. Passionately devoted to both of his crafts, he wraps his culinary creations in the poems of his friends.
Fabiolla da Silva, as Rageneau’s long-suffering wife, personifies perfectly the trials of the practical partner of an eternal dreamer. And she is also the Friar who has a critical role in the destinies of Roxane and Christian.
The costumes, by Elizabeth Morton, are handsome, beautifully detailed, and suggestive of the era. Sound Designer Matthew Nielson has a special instinct for when music enhances a scene. Lighting is by Elijah Thomas. Scenic manifestation is by Christian Sullivan. The director and designers make inventive use of the black box setting.
One question that remains: Do we know a person better in triumph or in heartbreak? We see Cyrano in the midst of both. Others will have their own questions.
The character of Cyrano is in the end a mystery — inscrutable, brilliant, in love with his or her own words. But, in every way, unforgettable.
Taffety Punk’s Cyrano is a memorable production, replete with poetic prose and entertaining performances. Don’t miss it.
Running Time: Two hours with one 15-minute intermission.
Cyrano plays through October 11, 2025, presented by Taffety Punk Theatre Company, performing at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th Street SE, Washington, DC. Purchase tickets ($20) online.
Cyrano
By Edmond Rostand
Adapted and Directed by Lise Bruneau
Text freely adapted from
Gladys Thomas and Mary F. Guillemard’s 1898 translation
CAST
Tonya Beckman: Roxane, Lignière, Buffet Girl, Pickpocket, Pastrycook, Poet, Cadet, and others
Dan Crane: Comte De Guiche, Ragueneau, Montfleury, a Marquis, Cadet, and others
Fabiolla da Silva: Carbon De Castel-Jaloux, Lise, Bellerose, Madame de Chavigny, Friar, Mother Marguerite, others
Gary DuBreuil: Christian, Valvert, The Duenna, Pastrycook, Child, Cadet, Sister Martha, and others
Kimberly Gilbert: Cyrano de Bergerac
DIRECTION, DESIGN, and PRODUCTION
Director: Lise Bruneau
Lighting Designer: Elijah Thomas
Costume Designer: Elizabeth Morton
Sound Designer: Matthew Nielson
Props: Bri Beach
Stage Manager: Bri Beach
Fight and Intimacy Director: Lorraine Ressegger-Slone
Scenic Manifestation: Christian Sullivan
Production Manager: Donna Reinhold
Managing Director: Erin Mitchell Nelson
Lighting Assistant: Julian Cordova
Sound Assistant: Lee Martinez Cruz
House Management: Renee and Aaron Beaver
Poster Art and Shirt Design: Ryan Carroll Nelson
Scenic and Prop Artisans: Renee Beaver, Aaron Beaver, Bri Beach, Lise Bruneau
