[NEohioPAL] Berko review: TWELFTH NIGHT @ CWRU/CPH

[Roy Berko]

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CWRU/CPH MFA production of TWELFTH NIGHT goes somewhat awry

Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)

TWELFTH NIGHT, now on stage in the Helen Theatre in the Allen Theatre
complex of PlayhouseSquare, is the last ensemble presentation of the Case
Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House MFA Acting Program’s class
of 2014.  The program intends to give the students a chance to work with
America’s leading theatre artists, appear on a professional stage, and,
during their last year, journey to New York to showcase their talents.

The CWRU/CPH program has produced the likes of Rich Sommer (MFA ’04) who
was in last year’s Broadway production of HARVEY and is a co-star on TV’s
MAD MEN.  Another grad is 2012 Tony nominee, Elizabeth Davis (MFA ’06), for
her starring role in the musical ONCE.

TWELFTH NIGHT, otherwise known as WHAT YOU WILL, is a comedy with farcical
overtones that was originally developed to celebrate the Christmas season,
though it contains no holiday references. The play, which was written in
about 1601, uses devices such as musical interludes and farcical disorder,
as well as traditional text to accomplish Shakespeare’s purpose.

It is one of the Bard’s three “mature comedies.”  The others are MUCH ADO
ABOUT NOTHING and AS YOU LIKE IT.  It contains traditional elements of
Elizabethan romantic comedy including mistaken identity, separated twins,
gender-crossing disguises, and obstacles that must be overcome in order to
discover “true” love.  It goes beyond the norm by adding references to
insanity as well as the madness of love.

The plot centers on Viola, a wealthy young lady who is shipwrecked,
disguises herself as a boy to gain employment, and gets in the service of
Orsino, a bachelor Duke of Illyria.  Orsino is in love with Olivia, a
wealthy countess who is in self-imposed long-term mourning due to the death
of her brother.  Unbeknownst to Viola, her twin brother, Sebastian, who was
also on the ship, has been saved and is in Illyria.  Olivia falls in love
with Viola, thinking she is a male.  Viola falls in love with Orsino.  A
court jester, Olivia’s drunken uncle and his henchmen, a pompous rich
gentleman who courts Olivia, and an assortment of other locals, add to the
merriment and the march toward a happy ending.

This is Shakespearean merriment at its best.  Well, that’s the intent, but,
unfortunately, under the direction of Guy Stroman, all does not necessarily
go well.

The director has cut some of the play’s initial dialogue and actions,
making the initial entrance of Viola and her actions, unclear.  Anyone not
already familiar with the story might well be confused as to what is going
on.

Stroman has also changed the setting from Illyria, on the Dalmatian coast
in Europe, to the Mississippi Delta area of America’s Deep South.  As he
explains, “My desire [was] to make the work accessible, passionate, truly
funny, and well, human.”  He continues,  “The setting needed to be near
water because of the shipwreck that separates twins Sebastian and Viola.”
He further states, “I felt that Shakespeare’s words would work great with
the sound of the Delta blues.”

There is nothing wrong with changing the setting if there is a clear
purpose, but that change requires some obligations.  The deep south of the
US has a distinctive vocal sound…accenting of words, use of a drawl, and
language variations that are unique to the area.  Stroman made the setting
changes that obligate him, as the director, to insure the performers and
technical designers understood and bought into the concept.  He also needed
to guide them to develop the concept.  It is here that Stroman seems to
have stumbled.

The cast varied greatly in their “southern sounds,” from much to none.  Of
course Sebastian and Viola are not of the area, so their pronunciations
needed to be parallel, not like those who are residents of the newly
created “South” Illyria.   While Olivia’s suitor, Malvolio, did the old
South proud, Olivia spoke like a Midwesterner.  Sir Toby Belch twanged
away, while Orsino drawled not.  Feste, the fool, sang and played the music
of the Delta with verve and authenticity, but many in the cast didn’t
follow suit.  After a while the southern setting’s vocal requirements
became a detriment.  This was definitely not the actors’ fault, but the
lack of consistent directorial decisions.

The black box performance space was set up as a very elongated thrust
stage, with the audience seated on three sides.  It is often difficult for
some in the audience to clearly hear lines in thrust staging due to the
actors having their backs or profiles to some part of the audience at all
times.  To alleviate the problem requires having the actors constantly
change positions so they face the various sides of the audience on a
rotating basis.  But the director did little to adjust to the thrust and
added to the problems by having actors often speak directly to the back
wall, making it difficult for all the audience to hear the lines and see
their facial expressions.

The set design, which included constant moving of settings on and off the
stage slowed down the action.  This script needs fast pacing, especially
during the farcical segments.   The play does not need realistic settings.
A chair or a bench would have sufficed, rather than having constant
interruptions as stair units, semi-walls and porches were brought on and
off the stage.  Scenic Designer Tiffany Scribner’s back wall, consisting of
Southern greenery interspersed with photo frames, and windows which are
cleverly used for farcical interludes, works well.

Some of the performances were outstanding.  Stephen Michael Spencer has
been excellent in all of his CWRU/CPH outings.  His guitar playing, singing
of meanings rather than just words, his comic timing, facial dexterity and
consistency of character development, was impressive in his creation of
Feste, the jester/fool.

In spite of her lack of a southern accent, Christa Meyer developed a clear
character as Olivia.  This is another of the company who has consistently
been excellent in her performances.

Therese Anderberg was charming as Viola, though she could have “butched-up”
her Cesario, to create a more realistic “boy” image.

Bernard Bygott has a nice touch with farce.  He is at his best when he is
playing the exaggerated joker or drunk.  His Sir Toby Belch was the
performance’s comic highlight.  TJ Ganley was excellent as the foppish
Malvolio, nicely balancing affectation with comic style.

Sarah Kinsey did a nice turn as Maria, the mischievous maid, but why was
she also cast in the role of Antonio, a male, with an obvious fake beard,
is a mystery.  The role is not one of false identity.

Maureen Patterson’s lighting design works well, especially in creating the
storm at the start of the play.

*CAPSULE JUDGMENT:  The Case Western Reserve/Cleveland Play House MFA
Acting Program’s class of 2014 has some excellent actors who should do well
in their professional pursuits.  Their production of TWELFTH NIGHT has some
performance highlights, but the students appear to have been done a
disservice by what could be declared a misdirected version of TWELFTH
NIGHT.  Maybe they can use the experience to learn the necessity of
consistency of intent and directing execution.*

TWELFTH NIGHT runs through October 26, 2013 at the Helen Rosenfeld Lewis
Bialosky Lab Theatre (The Helen) on the lower level of CPH’s Allen
Theatre.  For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go to www.clevelandplayhouse.com.


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