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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">CWRU/CPH MFA’s THE WINTER’S TALE disappoints </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black">(Member, American
Theatre Critics Association)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">The graduating class of the Case Western Reserve
University/Cleveland Play House MFA Acting Program closed out their third year
with a production of Shakespeare’s THE WINTER’S TALE.<span style> </span>Their training is basically over and what’s next place for
these students are tryouts, getting an agent, and going forth into the world of
professional theatre.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Previous graduates of the program are now
appearing both on and off-Broadway shows, cast in network television shows, and
as cast members of Cleveland Play House productions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Since the troupe has been working with visiting
artist Geoff Bullen, the associate director of the Royal Academy of Dramatic
Arts in London, and has been involved in a three-week Shakespeare Text
Intensive, it was rather disappointing that some of THE WINTER’S TALE cast had
difficulty in developing clear and meaningful characterizations.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">THE WINTER’S TALE is a comedy, though it is
perceived by some literary experts as one of Shakespeare’s late romances, while
others tag it as a problem play because it is filled with conflicts, which
result in a conflict solving ending.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">The story concerns the jealous King Leontes who
believes that his wife is having an affair, and that her soon to be born child
was fathered by King Polixenes, his childhood friend.<span style> </span>As a result, one is poisoned, another imprisoned, and the
newly born baby exiled.<span style> </span>Doesn’t
sound like a comedy?<span style> </span>In the
creative hands of Shakespeare anything is possible.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Because of its clear characters, comic twists
and turns, and unity of plot, the play is an audience favorite.<span style> </span>The script gets many, many professional
and amateur productions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">A recent New York staging of the play was
described as, “</span><span style="font-family:Palatino">Scalding jealousy, hunger for revenge, young love
in rapturous bloom, the soul-corroding sorrow of regret: all are evoked in the
saturated colors.”<span style> </span>Unfortunately,
few of these words can be used to describe much of the CWRU/CPH MFA production.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Director Geoff Bullen’s staging is
marked by<span style> </span>some fine character
development and clever gimmicks, but also by excessive shouting, languid
pacing, and much surface level acting. <span style> </span>Sly use of the <i style>Teddybear’s
Picnic Song</i> highlights a fine comic segment.<span style> </span>The blocking keys much of the dramatic and comic
action.<span style> </span>But all is not well in
either Sicilia, </span><span style="font-family:Palatino">where
the play is set, nor in the Helen Rosenfeld Lewis Bialosky Lab Theatre, where
the production is being staged.</span><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Andrew Gorell, who has been excellent in
previous productions, continues to be fine in comedic scenes, but loses his
believability in dramatic moments.<span style>
</span>Dan Hendrock seems to believe that acting means yelling with little
character texturing.<span style> </span>French born
Yan Tual is very difficult to understand. If he plans to work in U.S. theatre,
he needs to work of American English pronunciation.<span style> </span>Michael Herbert has matinee idol good looks, but doesn’t
display the acting chops to go with his physical presence.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The females of the company are all
strong.<span style> </span>Kim Krane, Eva Gil and
Kathryn Metzger are excellent, while, Kelli Ruttle is outstanding.<span style> </span>Each appears to be ready for their
entrance into the professional world.<span style>
</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><span style> </span></span><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">CAPSULE JUDGMENT:<span style> </span>A WINTER’S TALE is a disappointing
production.<span style> </span>So much more should be
expected from a group of actors who have spent three years polishing their
craft under excellent guidance.<span style> </span></span></i><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino">THE WINTER’S TALE runs through February 17 at the Helen
Rosenfeld Lewis Bialosky Lab Theatre in CPH’s Allen Theatre.<span style> </span>For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go to
<a href="http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com">www.clevelandplayhouse.com</a>.</span></p>