I ushered on Thursday, less than a week after the last play. Good thing my family switched to that night, because we were almost the only volunteers there. Tiring? Not really, partly because they're very good plays. We all signed up for another year.

This play alternates between (1) the life of Voltaire, Emilie du Chatelet, and their associates and (2) a vaguely parallel story in modern America. I never knew of the scientific advances by du Chatelet, probably because historical women in general don't get much recognition. I can't very well summarize the plots, but one includes adultery and an arrangement of marriage and the other includes a surrogate mother deep in debt. They both involve plenty on human relations and how brilliant researchers still have so much trouble with them.

Like Looped, it is by turns serious and hilarious. Sometimes downright quirky and whimsical, especially when the stories intertwine and "dead" characters occasionally break the fourth wall. (Note that most actors played two roles.) I think Arena Stage likes to save its silliest play of the season for last.

I appreciate that the few French words spoken were basic, tho it took me a while to get used to the shaky French/British/America accents. Even more did I appreciate the presence of sign language interpreters, tho I had to wonder how well they could convey the French parts.

One Arena pattern I don't like is that the last two plays had no plot description in the programs -- not even a statement of setting -- only the cast and bios. We had very little idea what to expect.