It's time again for my annual Shakespearean Festival review. Kevin and I saw two plays in the outdoor Adam's Theatre--we really enjoy the outdoor ambiance and try to see our plays there if we can. Although the outdoors have their drawbacks--we were slightly distracted when a big unassuming bug crawled along the balcony railing and the man next to me leaned forward and flicked it down onto the people sitting in the orchestra seats. Kevin and I had to try very hard to not laugh.
(Images courtesy of bard.org.)
I know that Othello traditionally ranks as one of the top four Shakespearean tragedies (with King Lear, Macbeth, and Hamlet), but there was a lot in here that reminded me of Julius Cesar: wars, senators, spousal (dis)loyalty, deceit to gain political position, trust, distrust, shame, and suicide. Igao has more lines than anyone, so this play could bear his name as the title, and he serves as an author and director of the plot from within the play. I've always wondered why he is so malicious. It's not obvious he's doing it for promotion only, but (sorry, but I think the analysis fits) like Heath Ledger's Joker, he just wants to control people, to make people destroy their own excellent lives.
I also found myself admiring Desdemona more this time. Lindsey Wochley did a fabulous job portraying the smart, gracious, sincere (and innocent!) woman and bringing her to life so we are truly as amazed as she is at Othello's turn in character. Jonathan Earl Peck performed a masculine and tragic Othello.
Cyrano de Bergerac was a different change from the Renaissance-era outdoor plays. What an interesting character. He makes many enemies with his sensitive poetic soul and his inability to walk away from an insult. Yet, he bears tragic sorrows and personal inhibitions for years and years. Despite that, he's determined to never miss a letter to or an appointment with Roxanne, and he dies fighting to the end, refusing help and sympathy. Brian Vahgn, a regular at the festival, played very convincingly and amazingly. He was the show. I really felt Cyrano's loss in this play.
6 comments:
How did their performance rate compared to D.J. playing Romeo or N.C. playing Juliet? or MacCleatus?
Alisa, I love that you made that connection with the Joker, that was the exact same thing that I was thinking. Iago is the only character that I feel lacks a TRUE motive, he does it because he is just evil and devilish. I like that this version kept many scenes in it that are usually taken out during the production. The characters of Iago and Amelia met early on to really come up with a back story to their twisted relationship. It was interesting to go the the cast interview and ask questions of all these actors (funny note, Desdemona and Cassius ARE dating in real life!)
Cyrano didn't capture me as much as I hoped it would (but how fun was it to see the Othello and Iago charaters in their Cyrano roles?)...I think it was more Roxanne (you know the Roxanne and Cyrano are married in real life too?) She just didn't seem as wonderful to inspire all that!
Anyway, I am so glad you got to go, we can talk more aobut them later as I am sure I have already rambled on for far too long!
Mike--no actor can beat Nate's interpretation of Juliet. He was just amazing.
D'Arcy--I had some similar feelings about Roxanne. She's so selfish, ignorant, and demanding. She's never seemed to deserve all that attention. Just a very Petrarchan ideal that men seem to invent in their minds... That is so cool what you know about the stories of the actors! I really enjoyed seeing the actor who played Othello in two very different roles. I really disliked him (we're supposed to dislike him), in Cyrano, which I saw first, and was worried I wouldn't like him Othello. Completely different character. Good job.
love the bard and the other plays
Glad you had a good time down in Cedar City! I love all the backstories that D'Arcy knows about the actors -- I always read the playbills and try to figure out who is married to whom, and make those connections. (And I was surprised I came up as "Emma" in the Austen characters?)
I'm so jealous that you get to go to the festival every year. I was very close to going to see the Taming of the shrew with our book club, but it ended falling through. I guess there's always next year.
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