Theater & Arts
TRAVERSING THE world of The Half-Life of Marie Curie, we follow the esteemed physicist, played by Missy Maramara, as she entangles herself with her late husband’s student, Paul Langevin, in a scandalous affair that has tainted her illustrious career. Amid the chaos, she secretly retreats to the British coast with her long-time friend, Hertha Ayrton (Caisa Borromeo), to recuperate from the furor of the press and public.
There, the two confront the ills of society while navigating the fickleness of their own careers, love, and friendship that define their lives. Despite a rocky end, the play portrays a strong, satisfying display of womanhood and friendship, alongside the volatility of love and life experienced by the two leads.
A dynamic duo
We are first introduced to Curie and Ayrton amid a scandal, with paparazzi flocking outside Marie’s home, hoping to catch a glimpse of the press-dubbed “foreign temptress.” In the crowd, a brazen Hertha pushes through, yelling at onlookers before promptly slamming the door to Curie’s home. Inside, Marie welcomes her warmly, though an air of exasperation lingers around her. In these few scenes, we are immediately made aware of the stark contrast between the two female scientists.
At the start of the play, Marie is visibly more reserved, keeping up the facade of poise and fortitude. Despite the targeted attacks on her womanhood and the professional setbacks caused by the scandal, she remains deeply invested in her work. However, as the scandal drags on, the exhaustion emanating from Marie is palpable—eventually, leading to her lashing out on Hertha during a particularly heated exchange.
During her outburst, Marie lays bare all her grievances, including all her internalized anger and grief toward her work and her relationships. During such scenes, Maramara’s aura reverberated throughout the Doreen BlackBox Theater, chilling the audience with the raw emotion in her acting and cluing us all into Marie’s agony.
Keeping Marie in check during this difficult period is the steadfast and willful Hertha Ayrton, the heart of the play. Full of energy and resolve, she urges Marie to break out of her shell and, like a true suffragette, fight back against the rampant misogyny directed toward her.
Though supportive, she does not let herself get pushed around when Marie berates her during moments of frustration. While Hertha’s bluntness has led to tense moments, her presence grounds Marie when she spirals into self-doubt. Borromeo’s portrayal of her brings a certain lightness and fun, complementing the unlikely friendship between the character and Maramara’s Marie.
The allure is pushed and our stars’ performances are elevated as both actresses bring a level of energy and polish to their portrayals enhancing the two-woman dynamic into something magical.
A world brought together
Beyond the captivating performance of our leads, the behind-the-scenes work helped in bringing the play to life. Under the direction of Kiara Pipino, who also served as the Set Designer, the straightforward yet utterly effective set design complemented the performance of the actors without overshadowing them.
Moreover, the use of simple period-accurate props and set pieces created an authentic atmosphere without taking the focus away from the narrative. Certain moments of the play relied heavily on sound and lighting, especially in transitional scenes, world-building, and dramatic moments. These moments showed that Lighting Designer Jethro Nibaten, Sound Designer Jessy Gardner, and Projection Designer GA Fallarme delivered on the execution. Their creative direction helped in fully immersing the audience and elevating the lead actors’ performances.
Clever costuming also played a pivotal role in the production, with Costume Designer Bethany Marx dressing Marie and Hertha in garbs that expressed their different yet complementing identities and personalities. Marie wore a dark, floor-length dress with minimal embellishments, paired with a sleek and firm updo—a look that remains largely unchanged throughout the play. In contrast, Hertha, donned a brighter outfit: a green blouse, often complemented with a vest, a flowy skirt, a messy updo, and her signature suffragette pin. Highlighting the contrast between our two characters, these choices reflected Marie’s reserved and poised nature as opposed to Hertha’s louder, more lively demeanor.
Completing the technical team are Assistant Production Designer Julia Macuja and Technical Director Adriane Ungriano, who kept the other members in order and raised the level of quality of an already stellar production.
Despite the strong technical aspects, however, the script falters slightly toward the end. The poignant conversations and banter between the leads are replaced rather abruptly by an information-heavy summary of events following Hertha and Marie’s time in Britain.
This sudden shift in pacing and tone felt rushed, as though the play was hurrying to its conclusion. This decision wasted the opportunity to further showcase our stars’ acting prowess, leaving me wanting more from the play.
Had the production committed to a longer runtime, it could have delved deeper into the relationships and lives of the characters. Nevertheless, the play remains compelling, thanks to the superb line delivery and emotional performances from the leads.
Love wounds us
At the end of the day, The Half-Life of Marie Curie is a satisfying production chronicling the tumultuous later years of Marie’s life—marked by intense scrutiny, doubt, and self-sacrifice—as she navigates a patriarchal space and her powerful yet complex friendship with Hertha. Their charming push-and-pull dynamic pulls us into their world, where their complicated yet essential relationship has kept them grounded as they pioneer in an unwelcoming field.
The production is a moving and hearty romp of the volatility of love and life, brought to life by the charismatic performances of the leads. It is a tale of love and friendship that, while imperfect at times, is sure to still tug at the heartstrings—-reminding us that although love may wound, it remains profoundly fulfilling.
