Last weekend I went to The DruidShakespeare The History Plays, a seven-hour marathon of condensed versions of Richard II, Henry IV parts I & 2 and Henry V at the Gerald W. Lynch Theatre at John Jay College, part of the Lincoln Center Festival 2015.
My first quibble is with Lincoln Center in presenting the plays a good hike to the west of Lincoln Center. I would have preferred the tent in Damrosch Park (which would have been a perfect setting for these plays) or the closer John Jay Theatre that they have used in the past. Apart from it's distance from Lincoln Center, this particular theatre, though large, is characterless and antiseptic.
Although I did not, in the end, have a problem with losing some of the text (well-edited by the Irish playwright Mark O'Rowe), I did take issue with the deliberate incorporation of Irish accents. These are history plays, after all, about the English monarchy. It just didn't work for me to have both Henry's dropping their "h"'s as if they were Irish peasants.
And I did take issue with the amount of gender switching or perhaps just with the way in which it was executed. I'm fine with a woman taking on the roles of Henry VI and V but not with long hair flying and breastplates (literally "breast" plates to accentuate the fact that these were woman) which I found distracting. It was less of an issue with Aisling O'Sullivan as Henry V, her hair held back in a tight braid and for the most part dressed in unisex tunics. Derbhle Crotty at Henry IV, with her long hair (a hairpiece?) teased out and leggings that widened her slight hips, looked more like a Real Housewife of Staten Island than a 14th century king. That aside, her actual performance lacked the fire necessary to the part. Bosco Hogan as John of Gaunt in "Richard II", thrusting her chest out like a prize hen and shuffling along, simply came across as a dementia afflicted old woman. These are powerful roles and deserved to be played as such without cheapening gimmicks.
Marty Rea's doomed Richard II, however, was magnificent. His face painted white and his attire costume-like and severe, his appearance was otherworldly, like a performer in the The Pleasures of the Enchanted Isle at at Louis XIV's court of Versaille. His performance was nuanced, his line deliveries lightning quick and, although an arrogant and spoiled boy-king, he had my sympathy. I only regretted that this fine actor was not used to more effect in the later plays.
Garrett Lombard's Hotspur was also a standout as Hotspur as was Rory Nolan as Falstaff. It's always painful for me to watch Prince Hal's rejection of Falstaff in "Henry IV, Part II" and the great man's decline when his heart is broken.
I would happily go to a Druid Marathon of "Henry VII", Parts I, 2, 3 and "Richard III", but perhaps they can add the "h''s back in for the next round. And bring back the tent!
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Thursday, July 2, 2015
"The Way We Get By" and "The Taming of the Shrew"
"The Way We Get By"
I saw the delightful Neil LaBute play "The Way We Get By" at The Second Stage for it's next to last performance on June 21st. Yes, I did write "delightful." I had debated going to see it for several reasons, the primary one being that, although I loved "Reasons To Be Pretty" on Broadway in large part because of the stunning performance by Marin Ireland (readers of this blog will know that I am a huge fan), in general, and along with the rest of the theatre-going community I find LaBute's work to be misogynistic. I also am not a fan of The Second Stage where I have seen a number of disappointing revivals, like last year's star-studded "The Substance of Fire," and works by critically-lauded playwrights whom I find derivative, Sarah Ruhl being a prime example.
Directed by Leigh Silverman who directed the Obie Award winning "In The Wake" at the Public theatre (which also starred Marin Ireland, I might add), the action of the play, set in the living room of a small New York apartment, is just claustrophobic enough to not suffocate as the actors circle each other in a complicated mating dance that promises to never end.
I also had not been keen to see a two-person play with a film/television actress, Amanda Seyfried, who had had no previous theatrical experience. Boy, was I wrong. Seyfried's co-star in "The Way We Get By" is Thomas Sadoski, he of "Reasons to be Pretty" and also HBO's "The Newsroom." Sadoski is always solid and brings nuance to the roles he plays on stage. He did so here, at moments breaking my heart and at others making me want to wring his neck. I would like to say that he carried her along but that would not be accurate. Seyfried more than held her own creating a convincing portrait of a young woman who is not too deep but not without depth either, unmoored but aware of the distance to the shore.
"The Way We Get By" is a relationship play that takes place in the aftermath of a one-night stand. But as the play progresses it is as if we are peeling an onion, as layers and layers of connections come to light and complications abound. Are these two meant to be together? We're never sure. Since the play has closed, you'll have to wait for the movie (which I'm sure there'll be) to draw your own conclusions. And Dear Readers, let me add for the record, no misogyny there.
"The Taming of the Shrew"
Last night I went to the final Prospect Park performance of the The New York Classic Theatre's "The Taming of the Shrew." The classically-trained performers brought a playful spirit to the production as they led the audience from location to location like a group of wandering minstrels. Performances that stood out were Maxon Davis's incredibly magnetic Petruchio, Beethovan Oden's comically adept portrayal of Hortensio,and Nick Salamon's befuddled Bastista. I was especially impressed by Amy Hutchins who had just seamlessly stepped into the role of Katherina, replacing another actress.
The New York Classic Theatre has become one of my new go-tos for Shakespeare in New York and the current production did not disappoint, although there is a reason that the play is not often mounted. Feminists beware!
You still have time to catch "The Taming of the Shrew" in various parks around the city as well as their "Measure for Measure." Go to their website newyorkclassical.org for their full schedule or look for their page on Facebook.
I saw the delightful Neil LaBute play "The Way We Get By" at The Second Stage for it's next to last performance on June 21st. Yes, I did write "delightful." I had debated going to see it for several reasons, the primary one being that, although I loved "Reasons To Be Pretty" on Broadway in large part because of the stunning performance by Marin Ireland (readers of this blog will know that I am a huge fan), in general, and along with the rest of the theatre-going community I find LaBute's work to be misogynistic. I also am not a fan of The Second Stage where I have seen a number of disappointing revivals, like last year's star-studded "The Substance of Fire," and works by critically-lauded playwrights whom I find derivative, Sarah Ruhl being a prime example.
Directed by Leigh Silverman who directed the Obie Award winning "In The Wake" at the Public theatre (which also starred Marin Ireland, I might add), the action of the play, set in the living room of a small New York apartment, is just claustrophobic enough to not suffocate as the actors circle each other in a complicated mating dance that promises to never end.
I also had not been keen to see a two-person play with a film/television actress, Amanda Seyfried, who had had no previous theatrical experience. Boy, was I wrong. Seyfried's co-star in "The Way We Get By" is Thomas Sadoski, he of "Reasons to be Pretty" and also HBO's "The Newsroom." Sadoski is always solid and brings nuance to the roles he plays on stage. He did so here, at moments breaking my heart and at others making me want to wring his neck. I would like to say that he carried her along but that would not be accurate. Seyfried more than held her own creating a convincing portrait of a young woman who is not too deep but not without depth either, unmoored but aware of the distance to the shore.
"The Way We Get By" is a relationship play that takes place in the aftermath of a one-night stand. But as the play progresses it is as if we are peeling an onion, as layers and layers of connections come to light and complications abound. Are these two meant to be together? We're never sure. Since the play has closed, you'll have to wait for the movie (which I'm sure there'll be) to draw your own conclusions. And Dear Readers, let me add for the record, no misogyny there.
"The Taming of the Shrew"
Last night I went to the final Prospect Park performance of the The New York Classic Theatre's "The Taming of the Shrew." The classically-trained performers brought a playful spirit to the production as they led the audience from location to location like a group of wandering minstrels. Performances that stood out were Maxon Davis's incredibly magnetic Petruchio, Beethovan Oden's comically adept portrayal of Hortensio,and Nick Salamon's befuddled Bastista. I was especially impressed by Amy Hutchins who had just seamlessly stepped into the role of Katherina, replacing another actress.
The New York Classic Theatre has become one of my new go-tos for Shakespeare in New York and the current production did not disappoint, although there is a reason that the play is not often mounted. Feminists beware!
You still have time to catch "The Taming of the Shrew" in various parks around the city as well as their "Measure for Measure." Go to their website newyorkclassical.org for their full schedule or look for their page on Facebook.
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