Twelfth Night/Richard III
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Cititour.com Review
“Tragedy tomorrow, comedy tonight” Stephen Sondheim wrote in the opening of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” and that dictum can now come true for those audiences member wishing to experience the Shakespeare’s Globe’s productions of “Twelfth Night” and “Richard III” at Broadway’s Belasco Theatre on consecutive evenings. (Truly hearty souls can do them in one day!). If one devoutly wishes that this amazing company could have delivered two home runs, well, alas and alack, one must settle for a grand slam -- the absolutely stunning Twelfth Night” -- and one solid double.
That said, either production is worth a visit simply for the rare attempt by director Tim Carroll and his remarkable company to present the Bard’s work as it might have been done five centuries ago. There’s an all-male cast (who don Jenny Tiramani’s authentic-looking, hand-stitched Elizabethean costumes in full view of the audience before the show begins), wonderful above-the-stage musicians performing rare Renaissance-era instruments, and spectators onstage in the side seats.
Of course, what the actual Bard of Avon didn’t have at his disposal is two-time Tony Award winner Mark Rylance, who is the marquee attraction. In “Twelfth Night,” the always showy and technically brilliant actor gives an extravagant comic turn as the Countess Olivia, whose determination to spurn love for seven years is instantly undone when she meets Count Orsino’s comely manservant Cesario – who is really the shipwrecked (female) Viola in disguise. As Rylance prances and pratfalls around the stage, periodically descending into fits of unparalleled pique, it’s impossible not to crack up, even if some of Olivia’s actions seem unbelievably unroyal. However, there’s great heart in his Olivia as well.
Indeed, what’s so incredible about this production is how sublimely it balances the show’s romantic and comical elements. As Viola/Cesario, the superb Samuel Barnett is heart-wrenching in his adoration for Orsino (a fine Liam Brennan), never once expecting his love to be requited. Meanwhile, the show’s many clowns, fools, and schemers have never been more hilarious, from Paul Chahidi’s deliciously scheming chambermaid Maria to Angus Wright’s magnificently foppish and idiotic Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and Colin Hurley’s delightfully drunken Sir Toby Belch. Moreover, the great Stephen Fry is pitch-perfect as the stuffy Malvolio, Olivia’s manservant, who gets ensnared by these cunning courtiers.
Rylance finds some unexpected humor in the usually pitch-dark “Richard III” as well, especially in the king-to-be’s famous opening monologue. Yet, for all his considerable expertise, the star’s slightly eccentric portrayal of the deformed, power-hungry Richard is sometimes as oft-putting as it is breathtaking. In the end, his Richard primarily seems to be a petulant child, albeit one with a superior brain. It’s an interesting interpretation – and far different from the conventional Richards whose single-minded pursuit of the throne makes him the embodiment of “pure evil.”
For those unfamiliar with British history, Carroll’s telling of the complex goings-on in this historical epic is blessedly lucid, if sometimes also deadly dull. Happily, the show’s second-act is considerably livelier and more absorbing than the first, thanks in part to Richard’s dealings with the steely Queen Elizabeth (Barnett, once more stealing the show) and the visitation of Richard’s many victims – including the unhappy Lady Anne (an effective Joseph Timms) -- as he dreams on the night before the big battle.
With the cost of going to England as prohibitive for many, the purchase of even a full-priced ticket to either one of these spectacles is a relative bargain!
[Photo (top) "Twelfth Night" and (right) Richard III by Joan Marcus]
By Brian Scott lipton
Visit the Site
http://www.shakespearebroadway.com
Cast
Samuel Barnett, Liam Brennan, Paul Chahidi, John Paul Connolly, Peter Hamilton Dyer, Kurt Egyiawan, Stephen Fry, Matt Harrington, Colin Hurley,Terry McGinity, Mark Rylance, Jethro Skinner, Joseph Timms, Angus Wright, Dominic Brewer, Tony Ward
Open/Close Dates
Opening 10/15/2013
Closing 2/16/2014
Box Office
212-239-6200
Theatre Info
Belasco Theatre
111 West 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
Map
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