[NEohioPAL]Berko Reviews: Statford Festival of Canada
Roy Berko
royberko at yahoo.com
Sat Jun 21 23:13:27 PDT 2003
THE HIGHLIGHTS AND LOWLIGHTS OF THIS SEASON’S CANADIAN
SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)
--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times
‘KING AND I’ SUMPTUOUS
I have seen many productions of Rogers and
Hammerstein’s ‘THE KING AND I’. I have never seen a
more sumptuous, gorgeous, effective version than that
being presented this summer at the Statford Festival
of Canada.
Rogers and Hammerstein laid the foundation for what is
now dubbed "the book musical." Starting in the 1950s
they transformed what had been basically songs
surrounded by meaningless dialogue into a concept of
adding music to a story in order to develop the plot.
Based on a true story, ‘THE KING AND I’ shows the
clash between East and West and what happens when
traditions are questioned and destroyed. This is a
delightful musical with a definite purpose.
In all of their scripts the duo had a key song which
highlighted their play’s message. In ‘THE KING AND
I,’ "A Puzzlement" illustrates the frustration caused
by the conflict between culture biases and the
realities of a changing world.
The score includes such classics as, "Whistle a Happy
Tune," "Hello Young Lovers," and "Something
Wonderful." This production showcases the enchanting
"Shall We Dance?," the powerful, "I Have Dreamed," and
the charming "Getting to Know You." "The Small House
of Uncle Thomas" is very creatively and effectively
staged.
The cast is wonderful. Victor Talmade makes the role
of the King his own. This is not a Yul Brenner
caricature. Lucy Peacock has a strong singing voice
and her Anna is visually correct and a flawless
character. Helen Yu is ethnic perfect and sings
powerfully as Lady Thiang. Anne Marie Ramos has a
radiant voice and her Tuptim matches impeccably with
Charles Zulay as Lun Tha. There is not a shallow
performance in the entire cast. Even the little
children have been honed to believability.
Few theatrical productions fall into the range of
perfect. "THE KING AND I" at the Stratford Festival
is as perfect as a theatrical production can be!
Costume Designer Roger Kirk and Set Designer Debra
Hanson have gone all out to assist Director Susan
Schulman and choreographer Michael Lichtefeld to put
together this rendition of the classic story. Their
sets and costumes far outshine even the Broadway
production. The show features fine acting, beautiful
voices and a clear development of the authors’ theme
with visually startling aesthetics. What more could
any theatre-attender ask for?
‘GIGI’ IS AUDIENCE PLEASING BUT MISDIRECTED
Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe are two of the
world’s most well-known musical theatre writers.
Their central theme was to illuminate the perfect
time, the perfect place and the perfect love story.
Think ‘MY FAIR LADY’, ‘BRIGADON’ and ’ CAMELOT.’ Or,
as did the Stratford Festival of Canada, think ‘GIGI.’
‘GIGI’ was developed in a different pattern than most
musicals. It was born as a movie in 1958 and later
became a staged show. The film went on to be named
Best Picture of the Year, as well as being awarded
eight other Academy Awards. The stage version opened
on Broadway in 1973. It played only four months after
mediocre reviews.
The story-line was adopted from a 1944 novella by
Colette. It is a charming story set during the Belle
Epoque period in France that follows the adventures of
Gigi, a girl woman, her doting grandmother, and her
plotting aunt. As with Eliza in ‘MY FAIR LADY’ Gigi
is shaped into an idealized image for male approval.
Each finds herself winning over a man who doesn’t want
to be won over, but who falls under her spell.
Unlike most Lerner and Loewe scripts, few restagings
of "GIGI" are done. Why it is not is a mystery. The
show has an engaging story and contains wonderful
music such as "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," "It’s a
Bore," "I Remember it Well," and "I’m Glad I’m Not
Young Anymore."
The production seemed to delight most of the audience.
Unfortunately, much of the delight came due to
misdirecting by Richard Monette. He took a charming
story and made it into a farce. He lost the warmth
because of all the gimmicks. Rather than letting the
natural flow of the music and story prevail, he
resorted to prat falls, over acting and affectations.
A lovely pastiche became an over-layered cake. It was
good to look at, but the true flavor was missing.
Highlights of the production were "The Night They
Invented Champagne" and the winsome "I Remember It
Well." These, along with the wonderful costumes,
visually appealing sets and fine orchestrations, aided
the overall effect.
Jennifer Gould was a charming Gigi. Dan Chameroy has
a very nice voice, but was directed into a
one-dimensional interpretation of Gaston, Gigi’s
eventual suitor. Patricia Collins was overly effected
as Aunt Alicia, who teaches Gigi how to trap the right
man. Domini Blythe was wonderful as Mamita, Gigi’s
grandmother. James Blendick did a veneer version of
Honore, the part played so stylishly by Maurice
Chevalier in the movie. He displayed no true
emotional involvement. What should have been charm
turned out to be surface show.
Statford’s version of ‘GIGI’ will please many, even if
it misses the original intent of the authors.
EXCITING, ENRAPTURING ‘THE ADVENTURES OF PERICLES’
Critics have argued for years whether Shakespeare
actually wrote ‘THE ADVENTURES OF PERICLES.’ It
appears, because of the style and problematic text
that Shakespeare probably had a collaborator on the
project.
Whoever the author, the Stratford Festival of Canada
does the scribe proud. This is a meticulous, visually
glorious presentation. Every aspect of the complex
play is purposeful. The supernatural visions, the
arcane ceremonies, the use of a chorus are all there.
The story concerns the travels of Pericles, Prince of
Tyre, as he seeks a bride, finds trouble, flees,
becomes shipwrecked, marries the daughter of a king,
has a child, attempts to return to Tyre, is caught in
a storm, "loses"his wife, entrusts his baby daughter
to a devious duo, wanders the seas, and finally finds
total happiness.
Jonathan Goad is Pericles incarnate. His is a superb
performance. Thom Marriott, as Gower, the narrator
and chorus, captures the stage whenever he is present.
Michael Therriault is delightful as the Boult. Karen
Anceta is lovely as Thaisa, Pericles’s wife. Nazneen
Contractor enraptures as Marian, daughter to Pericles
and Thaisa.
As the program states, "Pericles challenges not only
the creativity of directors and actors, but also the
openness and imagination of contemporary audiences."
Leon Rubin, the director, succeeded admirably. The
actors are consistently superb. Designer John
Pennoyer has given the production a visual grandeur
seen on few stages. The Stratford Festival of
Canada version of ‘THE ADVENTURES OF PERICLES,, is an
absolute, must see production!
‘ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA’ FAILS TO EXCITE
Shakespeare’s ‘ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA’ has been dubbed
by some scholars as "probably the greatest play in the
English language...the most comprehensive and
universal of Shakespeare’s tragedies." It may well be,
but the production at the Stratford Festival of Canada
was anything but great.
This is not an easy play to stage. It contains 42
scenes shifting to numerous settings, from Italy to
Egypt, from land to sea. The play’s sprawling
structure places a burden on the director and cast,
causing the focus to be entirely on the performances
to keep us on course. Director Martha Henry keeps us
on course. The play is not difficult to follow.
Unfortunately, she has failed to texture the
performances. The pace is too slow, the separation of
characters not clear, and the full-bodiedness of the
play lost. The dramatic action, instead of being
grand, grinds along.
The story concerns a period in history following the
assassination of Julius Caesar when Rome was ruled by
a triumvirate consisting of Octavius Caesar, Lepidus
and Mark Antony. Conflict ensues when Mark Antony
takes up with Cleopatra, the voluptuous queen of
Egypt. A truce, followed by betrayal, battles, and
subterfuge leads to the ultimate destruction of both
Mark Antony and Cleopatra.
The acting is uneven. Peter Donaldson, as Mark
Antony, lacks the needed charisma. He shouts and
pouts, but fails to convince of his great leadership.
Diana D’Aquila’s Cleopatra is less than a grand and
powerful woman. Paul Dunn’s Caesar is a whining,
non-heroic wimp. Wayne Best is right on character as
Enobarbus. Tim Askew delighted in the small role as
the messenger, who becomes Cleopatra’s foil when he
reports Antony’s marriage of convenience to Octavius
Caesar’s sister.
The production of ‘ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA’ is less than
entrancing. Audience members were overheard using
phrases like, "dull" and "boring" to describe their
experience.
‘THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME’ RINGS WRONG BELLS
‘THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME’ is a play about
outcasts. Quasimodo was abandoned as an infant on the
steps of Notre Dame. He is hideously deformed but
saved from drowning and then raised by Archdeacon
Frollo, himself a depraved man. Quasimodo becomes the
cathedral’s bell ringer and is made deaf by his
constant contact with the loud pealing. Esmeralda is
beautiful, but a member of a despised group of
gypsies. Gringoire is a misguided.poet. Their paths
all cross when Frollo tries to act upon his lust for
Esmeralda. She is saved by Gringoire, who falls in
love with her. She is later accused of killing him,
but is again saved, this time by Quasimodo. A
surprising revelation and tragedy mark the conclusion
of this tale of misguided love and the lack of
compassion for the outsiders of the world.
Victor Hugo’s ‘HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME’ is a sprawling
novel. It was made into a moderately successful
animated film. Unfortunately, it doesn’t translate to
stage very well, at least not in its production at
the Statford Festival of Canada. Whether it is
playwright Rick Whelan’s inability to write a smoothly
transitioned play with a meaningful flow of lines and
action, or director Dennis Garnhum’s uninspired and
static directing, the production just doesn’t work.
Even scenic designer Alexander Dodge’s set doesn’t
help. It is visually ponderous and cumbersome.
None of the performers fared completely well. Peter
van Gestel, standing in for Nicolas Van Burek, who
normally plays Quasimodo, was basically fine, but
lacked the physical grotesque disformaty needed to
bring about the revulsion feigned by the acting
company at the sight of the hunchback. Stephen
Russell’s Frollo, lacked the needed depth of villainy.
Dan Chameroy made an acceptable Gringoire, but did
not truly convince of his undying love for Esmeralda.
Jennifer Gould looks the role of Esmeralda but, at
times, loses the characterization.
Word on the streets of Stratford is that the play has
been universally ill-received. It’s too bad, for
there is a fine tale here to tell.
DELIGHTFUL SHREW TOTALLY TAMED
One of the problems facing any director of
Shakespeare’s ‘THE TAMING OF THE SHREW’ is how to
handle the ending of the play. If interpreted one
way, it pleases the women’s liberation viewers.
Played the other, it could bring feminist wrath. As
director Miles Potter states in his program notes, "I
trust Shakesepare. I no longer feel the need to
filter what he is doing at the end of the play."
What’s the fuss? The story-line of Shrew centers on
the loves and wills of two women of Padua. Biancha is
demure and popular. Kate is sharp-tongued and
ill-tempered. We observe as each is wooed and wed.
In the traditional version Kate is tamed and becomes
obedient to her husband. Some modern interpretations
have Kate saying the closing lines with satirical
undercurrent, thus allowing the audience to believe
that she has not changed and, in truth, has tamed her
man.
Whatever your political views, it will be hard not to
fall in love with this production. Almost everything
works. The setting, which has been transformed from
ancient Italy to the American west, enhances the
understanding. The added music, the wonderful
costumes, the fun sets, and the enhanced character
interpretations all work!
Seana McKenna sparkles as Kate, the hellcat who is
transformed into a tamed tiger. Deborah Hay’s Bianca
is cute though a little overacted. At times her voice
becames shrieking and grating. Graham Abbey is
wonderful, wonderful, wonderful as Kate’s husband
Petruchio. His is a purposeful and well-developed
character. Though sometimes hard to understand, Wayne
Best’s Grumio, Petruchio’s sidekick, becomes a
delightful Gabby Hayes sound-and-look-alike.
Director Potter has woven a wonderful tale. This is
one of the season’s highlight shows.
SUMMARY JUDGEMENT OF THE SEASON, SO FAR
In general, so far, this is an excellent season for
the Stratford Festival of Canada. Four out of the six
productions reviewed were positive, three of those
rated raves. That’s better odds than that of most
production companies.
For information about the Stratford Festival of Canada
call 1-800-567-1600 or go on line to
www.stratfordfestival.ca.
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