‘RICHARD II’: (left to right) Emily Swallow, David Mattar Merten, Grantham Coleman, Michael Urie & Lux Pascal. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

RICHARD II
By William Shakespeare
Directed & adapted by Craig Baldwin
Through December 21, 2025
Red Bull Theater
at Astor Place Theatre
434 Lafayette St.
https://www.redbulltheater.com

By Scott Harrah

Shakespeare’s classics are often revived in some newfangled form on the American stage. For instance, from the late Glenda Jackson playing the titular role in a misguided, gender-bending King Lear in 2019 to an equally ill-conceived one-man Macbeth starring Alan Cumming on Broadway in 2013, the Bard’s works are frequently updated to attract new audiences. However, director Craig Baldwin’s Off-Broadway iteration of Richard II introduces two refreshing twists: the setting shifts from the 1300s to 1980s Britain, and King Richard becomes a flamboyant gay man, portrayed by the always-outstanding Michael Urie.

This reviewer is rarely a fan of “modernized” Shakespeare because classics work best when performed as written. Otherwise, the richness of Shakespeare’s language and narrative can get lost amid flashy gimmickry. Even so, two modernized adaptations have succeeded in the past 15 years: the 2010 Broadway revival of The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino as Shylock, and now Mr. Baldwin’s Richard II. While Mr. Pacino brought dignity to Shylock, Mr. Urie brings his trademark comic timing and sharp wit to Shakespeare’s egotistical, self-destructive monarch.

Richard the Rebel

This is a stylish reimagining of Richard II, with an ‘80s-inspired set by Arnulfo Maldonado. Mr. Urie plays the doomed monarch whose inflated ego leads to his downfall. When Richard seizes the inheritance of his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke (Grantham Coleman), he ignites a chain of betrayal and rebellion that forces him to confront his own loss of power and identity.

1980s decadence & excess

Mr. Maldonado’s design reimagines the royal court as a sleek 1980s Manhattan boardroom, complete with sharp suits, minimalist décor, and an interviewer (Sarin Monae West) who channels Grace Jones. Meanwhile, snippets of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams” and other new-wave hits reinforce the era’s excess and vanity. The result is a clever concept that turns Richard’s deposition into a corporate coup rather than a medieval revolt. Admittedly, some choices—like the bathhouse scene or Richard’s affair with Aumerle (David Mattar Merten)—veer toward camp, yet they fit this production’s aesthetic.

Cast standouts

Not everything works here, but there’s plenty of fine acting onstage. Ron Canada, in multiple roles (especially as John of Gaunt), delivers one of the evening’s strongest performances, with precise phrasing and a masterful command of Shakespeare’s dialogue.

Grantham Coleman, as Richard’s rival and cousin Henry Bolingbroke, brings understated determination that contrasts beautifully with Richard’s theatrical volatility.

Michael Urie has a blast portraying Richard as an entertaining narcissist. Yet beneath the humor, he reveals the character’s tragic vulnerability, proving how effortlessly he can balance comedy with gravitas. His performance is campy enough to amuse, but grounded enough to make the downfall sting.

Accessible & entertaining

Purists may not embrace this Richard II, yet Mr. Baldwin has created a visually dynamic, thematically relevant version that speaks to modern politics and power struggles. Ultimately, his production makes Shakespeare’s complex history play accessible, entertaining, and unexpectedly poignant—a triumph of bold direction and fearless performance.

Published November 10, 2025
Reviewed at press performance on November 8, 2025

‘RICHARD II’: (left to right) Ron Canada, Grantham Cole & Michael Urie. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

‘RICHARD II’: (left to right) Kathryn Meisle, Ron Canada, Michael Uriie & Lux Pascal. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

‘RICHARD II’: Sarin Monae West, James Seol & Daniel Stewart Sherman. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

‘RICHARD II’: Sarin Monae West, Lux Pascal, Michael Urie, David Mattar Merten, Ryan Spahn & James Seol. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

‘RICHARD II’: Michael Urie & David Mattar Merten. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

‘RICHARD II’: Michael Urie. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

‘RICHARD II’: Grantham Coleman & Michael Urie. Photo: Carol Rosegg.

The post ‘Richard II’: Michael Urie as Bard’s quirky king appeared first on StageZine.

‘ROMEO + JULIET’: Rachel Zegler & Kit Connor. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

ROMEO + JULIET
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Sam Gold
Circle in the Square Theatre
235 West 50^th Street
https://romeoandjulietnyc.com/

By Scott Harrah

William Shakespeare’s classics are often revived with modern-day costumes and endless gimmicks to help bring in new, younger audiences. Sam Gold has previously directed two “reinvented” productions of the Bard’s classics, Macbeth and King Lear (which starred the late Glenda Jackson in a gender-bending role as King Lear). Mr. Gold has been more successful putting a contemporary spin on other classics, namely his outstanding revival of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People earlier this season (which also played at Circle in the Square).

Back in 2013, David Leveaux directed a dismal revival of Romeo and Juliet, starring the miscast Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad in which Romeo rode onto the stage on a motorcycle and Juliet delivered the iconic “Romeo, Oh Romeo” soliloquy by rote in American vernacular. This revival of Shakespeare’s popular classic about ill-fated lovers is a far superior production, but that would not be hard.

Mr. Gold’s interpretation of the story of the Capulets vs. the Montagues in Verona, Italy in the 14^th century (or later—scholars cannot seem to agree on the time period) is “modern” in the broadest sense. The circular theatre-in-the-round setting is used as a vehicle for all the madness happening on stage and off. We see overhead catwalks and a bed that goes up and down. Towers of teddy bears are seen on stage (don’t ask) and actors climb up on ladders to shout out their lines.

Need a brief plot summary? Shakespeare himself said it best in the prologue: ”Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life.”

Despite the insanity in this production—from the cast dancing provocatively before the show to Enver Chakartash’s outrageous costumes—fortunately there are two solid actors playing the lead roles. Kit Connor (who played the older Elton John in the 2019 biopic Rocket Man) is the perfect teenage heartthrob as Romeo. Although Romeo + Juliet is not a musical, this production inserts short songs throughout the show, with music by Jack Antonoff and movement direction and choreography by Sonya Tayeh. Mr. Connor has a nice voice and the dynamic stage presence necessary to pull off the character.

Rachel Zegler, best known for playing Maria in the Steven Spielberg remake of West Side Story, is one of the show’s standouts. She adds the right mix of vulnerability and determination in her performance. When she sings, Ms. Zegler almost looks and sounds like a younger version of Ariana Grande. She has all the passion, spark and yearning of a young girl who is deliriously in love for the first time.

The other noteworthy performance is given by the marvelous Gabby Beans (Tony nominee for the Lincoln Center revival of The Skin of Our Teeth). She brilliantly portrays three characters: the wisecracking Mercutio (Romeo’s best friend), Romeo’s advisor the Friar and Prince Escalus, who tries unsuccessfully to make peace between the Montagues and Capulets.

Not everything works in this revamped version of the doomed young lovers of Verona. Modernized versions of Shakespeare have become standard fare on Broadway the past few years, and Sam Gold’s Romeo + Juliet is hardly as offensive or a “bastardization” like other 21^st century versions we have seen the past decade. Still, it would be great to someday soon see Shakespeare’s works done the way they were intended to be performed: In period costumes, without gimmicks and in all the original Elizabethan era glory. It was only 11 years ago in 2013 that two amazing British productions of Twelfth Night and Richard III were done in repertory, starring the legendary Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry. What made those two productions so enjoyable was their authenticity in recapturing the mood of that era. When performed in original period costumes, with musicians playing Elizabethan tunes, Shakespeare is much more palatable to modern audiences. With all the characters in his plays and endless subplots, Shakespeare makes for difficult reading, but when his plays are performed as the Bard intended, they are easy to follow and truly delightful. Mr. Gold’s Romeo + Juliet might be bringing in the Gen Z audience, but hopefully in future seasons Broadway will mount a few traditional Shakespeare revivals so the younger generation can judge for themselves whether they prefer a modernized Bard or plays performed in a more conventional manner.

Published October 24, 2024
Reviewed at October 19, 2024 press performance

‘ROMEO + JULIET’: Rachel Zegler & Kit Connor. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘ROMEO + JULIET’: Gabby Beans. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘ROMEO + JULIET’: Rachel Zegler & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘ROMEO + JULIET’: Kit Connor, Rachel Zegler & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘ROMEO + JULIET’: Rachel Zegler & Kit Connor. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

The post ‘Romeo + Juliet’: Latest spin on classic appeared first on StageZine.

‘MACBETH’: Daniel Craig, Ruth Negga & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

MACBETH
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Sam Gold
Through July 10, 2022
Longacre Theatre
220 West 48th Street
New York, NY
(212-239-6200), www.MacbethBroadway.com

By David NouNou

Director Sam Gold contemporized, bastardized and overblew the 2019 revival of Shakespeare’s King Lear with Glenda Jackson. He is now minimalizing beyond recognition this epic debacle, Macbeth, so there should be a law that director Sam Gold must never be allowed to come near another Shakespeare play for fear of criminally destroying yet another classic.

Lord, spare us from false prophets and pretentious “visionary” directors who think they have new ideas to infuse into classic Shakespeare for new audiences. Sitting through this version of Macbeth, in almost complete darkness, except for the use of flashlights, green and red blinding laser lights, and a handheld bright light torch under Lady Macbeth’s chin in her hallucinated state, one can’t help but wonder—what the hell is going on here? It is hard enough traversing through gender-bending roles, and then having these players play multiple characters in the same outfits and try to disseminate who they are at that moment. Then you have to ask why is everyone doing different accents? Also why are there so many distracting sound effects? There is absolutely no cohesion.

I’ll fast-track it for you: Macbeth (Daniel Craig) and Banquo (Amber Gray) have defeated Scottish rebels in a civil war. On the way back, they encounter a coven of witches (who are always making soup and scrambled eggs—please, don’t ask— and also play various other roles). The witches tell Macbeth he will be the Thane of Cawdor and then be King of Scotland. Duncan, the current King of Scotland, rewards Macbeth with the title of Thane of Cawdor. Poor Duncan comes to the Macbeth’s home to celebrate the end of the civil war, only to be murdered by them. Then Banquo gets murdered. Macbeth gets haunted by the ghost of Banquo and starts ranting. More prophecies: Lady Macbeth (Ruth Negga) who’s been sleepwalking and hallucinating, goes mad with guilt and claims “all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten these little hands” and kills herself. MacDuff (Grantham Coleman), friend of old King Duncan, avenges him by killing Macbeth, and crowns Malcolm (Asia Kate Dillon) Duncan’s son, as the rightful heir to Scotland.

With such minimalism, and a mostly bare stage, you would think you are watching the third day of rehearsal of a college production. With so much ranting and raving, the same actors in different characters overacting, it makes the dreadful 2013 version of Macbeth with Ethan Hawke at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre seem like a masterpiece.

If you are still inclined to see this Macbeth because of Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga, I urge you to watch the 2021 film The Tragedy of Macbeth starring Denzel Washington first, just to give you a sense of what’s going on here.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published June 2, 2022

‘MACBETH’: Ruth Negga. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘MACBETH: Maria Dizzia, Daniel Craig & Amber Gray. Photo: Joan Marcus.

The post ‘Macbeth’: Something wretched this way comes appeared first on StageZine.

‘KING LEAR’: Glenda Jackson. Photo: Brigitte Lacombe

KING LEAR
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Sam Gold
Original score by Philip Glass
Cort Theatre
138 West 48th Street
(212-239-6200), www.KingLearonBroadway.com

By David NouNou

Whatever happened to the adage of less is more? In this revival of King Lear, Shakespeare has been bastardized and vandalized by director Sam Gold.

Shakespeare has been presented in many ways: traditional, contemporary, and with dates shifting from Roman times to Fascist times (as was the case of Julius Caesar with Denzel Washington playing Brutus in a 2005 revival that was a mess). Well, nothing will prepare you for this reincarnation of King Lear with Glenda Jackson, a role she performed in 2016 at London’s Old Vic.

Shakespeare is convoluted enough, and listening to the Bard’s dialogue is crucial in order to comprehend the narrative. It is complicated, so attention must be paid. External distractions are unnecessary because there are enough of them here. Clocking in at three hours and 35 minutes, it’s a Herculean sit-through.

Lear (Glenda Jackson) has three daughters: Goneril, the oldest (Elizabeth Marvel), Regan, the middle (Aisling O’Sullivan); and Cordelia (Ruth Wilson), the youngest. Ms. Wilson also portrays The Fool. Lear has two too many daughters. Goneril and Regan, along with their husbands, honor Lear with their false love and devotion, while Cordelia just honors him without any false flourishes. This galls Lear’s vanity. thus banishing Cordelia from the kingdom, only too late discovering the treachery of his other two daughters. Thus, his unraveling and dissent into madness ensues.

What also ensues is the madness that takes place on stage. With no clear focus but pretentiousness by director Sam Gold, throwing everything on stage, including the proverbial kitchen sink, the viewer has to make some sense of the proceedings. Why is there a four-piece chamber orchestra consisting of two violins, a cello and viola and whose members are clad in formal attire, playing chamber music and moving about the stage, courtesy of Philip Glass? If the raison d’etre of the piece is a gender-bending role for Glenda Jackson as Lear, then why diminish and take away from her bravura performance by adding other members of the cast in gender-reversed roles like Jayne Houdyshell as the Earl of Gloucester and Ruth Wilson, doubling up as the Fool? Both diminish the returns from Ms. Jackson.

It is truly important to give everyone a chance to perform on the stage. Mr. Gold uses many African-American actors in important roles, he is giving Sean Carvajal, a Latino actor, the part of Edgar, son of Gloucester, to speak in Spanish phrases to an army for comic relief, which makes absolutely no sense and is offensive to Shakespearean devotees. He also uses Russell Harvard, a hearing-impaired actor, portraying the Duke of Cornwall, Regan’s husband, using a sign-language interpreter, the wonderful Aide to Cornwall, Michael Arden. All of these are admirable choices, but they create so much distraction that there is no cohesive flow. A viewer loses focus and concentration, because one’s attention keeps changing from one thing to another.

In the past Mr. Gold directed A Doll’s House, Part 2 beautifully and concisely but he also directed the abysmal 2017 revival of The Glass Menagerie with Sally Field, where he sucked out all the poetic brilliance of Tennessee Williams. Ann Roth is usually a meticulous costume designer and designed gorgeous costumes for Ms. Jackson in Three Tall Women, but here she is all over the place as well.

Be forewarned that, with all the noise and distractions, this is a three hour and 35-minute hollow production, so bring lots of cushions for your seats. It just might make sitting through this more bearable.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 4, 2019

‘KING LEAR’: Jane Houdyshell & Glenda Jackson. Photo: Brigitte
Lacombe

‘KING LEAR’: Glenda Jackson. Photo: Brigitte Lacombe

‘KING LEAR’: Pedro Pascal & Jayne Houdyshell. Photo: Brigitte Lacombe

‘KING LEAR’: Ruth Wilson. Photo: Brigitte Lacombe

The post Pretentious madness of ‘King Lear’ appeared first on StageZine.

BEST MUSICAL SINCE ‘BOOK OF MORMON’: Michael James Scott (center) & cast of ‘Something Rotten!’ Photo: Joan Marcus

SOMETHING ROTTEN!
Conceived by Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick
Book by Karey Kirkpatrick & John O’Farrell
Music & lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick & Karey Kirkpatrick
Direction & choreography by Casey Nicholaw
St. James Theatre
246 West 44th Street
(212-239-6200), www.RottenBroadway.com

By David NouNou

As a critic, I have been waiting since March 30, 2011 to write the words “The best original new musical since The Book of Mormon.”

In the past 10 days, we have been bombarded by lugubrious, serious, dour, epically boring and not fun musicals that have left audiences begging for a riotous show that is funny, intelligent, clever, witty, splashy, and simply a joy to sit through, and this is what you will get with Something Rotten!. This is due to the hysterical book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell and a sublimely hummable score by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick. From the opening song “Welcome to the Renaissance,” to the likes of “God, I Hate Shakespeare,” “A Musical”, “Will Power,” “Hard to Be the Bard,” to “To Thine Own Self,” the melodies are still ringing in my head. I will concede the book is not irreverent as The Book of Mormon, but then what is? However, it pokes clever jabs at Shakespeare, his works, and almost every milestone musical of the 20th Century.

The Bottom Brothers, Nick (Brian d’Arcy James) and Nigel (John Cariani), haven’t been able to write a hit because they have been in the shadow of the Bard, William Shakespeare (Christian Borle). Nick, in dire straits and as a last resort, goes to a soothsayer, Nostradamus (Brad Oscar), and begs him to foresee what the next big thing is to write about. Nostradamus looks into the future and advises him to write “A Musical”; that’s what people will want to see in the future. Needless to say, this number is a showstopper to end all showstoppers, magnificently done by Mr. Oscar and the ensemble, and every song after that is one showstopper after another. If excess is a sin, then no one can do it better than Casey Nicholaw, from his deft and dazzling direction to his astounding dance routines. He lavishes us with these joyous excesses.

The performances are superior in every way: Brian d’Arcy James, as the down-on-his-luck older brother Nick Bottom in search of a new idea for a play, is a robust leading man who has full command of the stage and does a razor-sharp routine in “Bottom’s Gonna Be on Top” that brings the house down as well as the Act I curtain. John Cariani, as the younger brother Nigel, is the timid one with the brains that has to write the words for Nick’s plays and is in a less glorified role. Mr. Cariani acts and sings with solid conviction.

Now, to the show-stopping hams of the show: Christian Borle, as the preening and overly confident Shakespeare, gives another one of those Borlian scene-stealing, sinfully delicious performances as in the songs “Will Power,” a jazzed-up, hip, swinging rock star Will and his posse, and “Hard To Be the Bard” is full of double entendres. The trump card of the night is Brad Oscar’s performance as Nostradamus, the soothsayer. His predicting “A Musical” as the next big thing was a true crowd-pleaser. The rest of the comedic group were Brooks Ashmanskas, as a confused Puritan, with a lovely daughter Portia (Kate Reinders), the young lady who loves Nigel Bottom. There’s also Gerry Vichi, as Shylock the Jew, who wants to be a producer (and you know which Shakespeare play these two characters will end up in); Peter Bartlett as Lord Clapham who plays a benefactor of the arts; and Heidi Blickenstaff as Nick’s wife. All are giving wonderfully zany ensemble performances. The dancing ensemble are all first-rate, synchronized perfectionists.

The designers have outdone themselves—from the beautiful Elizabethan sets by Scott Pask, to the over-the-top costumes by Gregg Barnes and the mood-provoking lighting by Jeff Coitier—all set and anchor the scenes perfectly. You don’t have to be a Shakespearian pro to get all the goings on; you just have to be able to laugh at the misplaced famous Shakespearean quotes and recognize the brilliant placement of moments from iconic musicals to fully appreciate the magnificent job Casey Nicholaw has done. Forget about the doom and gloom of the pretentious musicals that have just opened. Instead, go to Something Rotten! and see “Something Wonderful.”

THE FUTURE IS ‘A MUSICAL’: Brad Oscar & Brian d’Arcy James in ‘Something Rotten!’ Photo: Joan Marcus

WILL POWER: Christian Borle as Shakespeare & the cast of ‘Something Rotten!’ Photo: Joan Marcus

SPOOFING THE BROADWAY MUSICAL: Brian d’Arcy James & Brad Oscar (center, left to right) & cast of ‘Something Rotten!’ Photo: Joan Marcus

ANOTHER SHOWSTOPPER: The cast of ‘Something Rotten!’ Photo: Joan Marcus

THE BARD: Christian Borle in ‘Something Rotten!’ Photo: Joan Marcus

THE BOTTOM BROTHERS: John Cariani & Brian d’Arcy James in ‘Something Rotten!’ Photo: Joan Marcus

NICK BOTTOM & HIS TRUE LOVE, PORTIA: John Cariani & Kate Reinders in ‘Something Rotten!’ Photo: Joan Marcus

BROTHER JEREMIAH & PORTIA: Brooks Ashmankas & Kate Reinders in ‘Something Rotten!’ Photo: Joan Marcus

AT NICK & BEA’S HOUSE: (left to right) John Cariani, Brian d’Arcy James & Heidi Blickenstaff in ‘Something Rotten!’ Photo: Joan Marcus

BOTTOM’S ON TOP: Brian d’Arcy James in ‘Something Rotten!’ Photo: Joan Marcus

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published May 1, 2015
Reviewed at press performance on April 30, 2015

The post ‘Something Rotten!’ smells hilarious appeared first on StageZine.

THREE WITCHES: (left to right) Malcom Gets, John Glover & Byron Jennings. Photo: T. Charles Erickson

MACBETH
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Jack O’Brien
Through January 12, 2014
Vivian Beaumont Theatre
150 West 65th Street
(212-239-6200), www.lct.org

By David NouNou

There should be a moratorium against any future productions of Macbeth for at least five years or till 2020. This is the third version this year alone. Earlier in the spring, there was the dreadful, hubristic one-man version with Alan Cumming set in an insane asylum and playing all the characters.  Now we have Ethan Hawke in a vanity project, with a missing Hawke in search of his Macbeth. Shakespeare certainly has had his ups and downs this year; from the brilliant authentic revivals of Twelfth Night and Richard III with Mark Rylance currently playing at the Belasco to the abysmal, soon-to-be closing Romeo and Juliet with Orlando Bloom; and now with this misguided and misdirected atrocity by Jack O’Brien.

Lord, spare us from false prophets and pretentious “visionary” directors who think they have new ideas to infuse into classic Shakespeare for new audiences. Sitting through this version of Macbeth, one can’t help but stumble upon a myriad of questions and on top of the list is: What made Ethan Hawke think he could play the Thane of Cawdor? Why was Lady Macbeth in Givenchy-inspired costumes?  What were Grizabella, Jennyanydots, Skimbleshanks, and Rumpleteazer from Cats doing in Macbeth?  Why were a lot of the scenes acted in almost total darkness?  Why were extras marching from offstage upstage to downstage offstage for no apparent reason? Why was everyone doing different accents? Why was everybody overacting, and why was the stage so full of distracting noises and special effects?

My best guess would be Jack O’Brien tried to fill the stage with as many distractions as possible so the audience would not notice that Macbeth was missing. Ethan Hawke is an intense actor from Austin, Texas and has a definite speech pattern. In the movies, his intensity works well. However, Shakespeare is a different matter. His delivery of Macbeth sounded like he was phonetically breaking down the script. As for Anne-Marie Duff’s Lady Macbeth, due to her lack of stage presence and the absence of Lady M’s ferocity, the massive Beaumont stage swallowed her whole.

There was one original idea; the three witches (usually played by women) were portrayed by three men: Byron Jennings, Malcolm Gets, and John Glover. They added to the distraction. With the exception of Brian d’Arcy James as Banquo, as for the rest of the cast, they were overwrought and might as well have well been doing a scene from the Tower of Babel, for each one had a different accent and different style. They somehow all forgot they were Scotsmen doing Macbeth.

We’ve seen so many Shakespearean productions that spend too much time, effort and money trying to put a “spin” on the Bard to bring in new audiences, and this rarely works.  Here, we are bludgeoned by hokey, horror-film-style sound effects, over-the-top, high-tech lighting, and characters running around in ridiculous costumes like something out of a Duran Duran video on MTV circa 1983. As the current twin Broadway productions in repertory have shown us, the classics of Shakespeare work best when they are performed as written. Otherwise, the richness of Shakespeare’s language and narrative gets mired in gimmickry.

SOMETHING ‘WICKED’ THIS WAY COMES: (left to right) Ethan Hawke, Daniel Sunjata, Richard Easton & cast in ‘Macbeth.’ Photo: T. Charles Erickson

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published November 25, 2013
Reviewed at  press performance on November 24, 2013

The post Another ‘Macbeth’ doesn’t cut the haggis appeared first on StageZine.

‘TWELFTH NIGHT’ Stephen Fry as Malovio with, clockwise from top, Andrew Wright as Sir Andrew Aguecheek; Jethro Skinner as Fabian; Colin Hurley as Sir Toby Belch. Photo: Joan Marcus

TWELFTH NIGHT
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Tim Carroll
Belasco Theatre
111 West 44th Street.
(212-239-6200), www.ShakespeareBroadway.com

By David NouNou

If you ever disliked Shakespeare as a child or couldn’t get into him as an adult, let me assuage your fears. Here is a pair of Shakespearian plays in tandem with Richard III, performed by a superb cast headed by Mark Rylance that will make you embrace the Bard instead of fearing him. What makes them both so enjoyable is their authenticity in recapturing the mood of that era. Seeing the actors get into their costumes before the play starts, musicians playing Elizabethan tunes, all add to conjure a night of merriment and enchantment.

Needless to say, Twelfth Night is the comedy. The storyline is convoluted; suffice it to say it deals with a shipwreck, twins getting separated, mistaken identities, the wrong couples pursing each other. However, by the end all is mended. With all the characters in his plays, Shakespeare makes for difficult reading, but when it is performed well, and in this version it’s superb, it becomes a joy and a fresh breeze to follow.

Since the cast is comprised of all men, one has to start with Samuel Barnett as Viola; after all, she is the shipwrecked maiden who disguises herself as a young man by the name of “Cesario” throughout the whole play and is simply wonderful. Mr. Barnett is a man, playing a woman, playing a man, and is innocent charm at its best. Cesario is in the employ of Orsino (Liam Brennan) who is in love with Olivia, the indefatigable Mark Rylance. He brings new meaning to temptress. Olivia falls for Cesario, who in turn starts falling for Orsino. I told you it gets convoluted, but the fun is in how it all sorts itself out.

Among the formidable cast are Stephen Fry as Malvolio; Paul Chahidi as Maria; Colin Hurley as Sir Toby Belch, all living under Olivia’s roof. Also present is Olivia’s hapless pursuer Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Angus Wright; all giving splendidl performances. The director, Tim Carroll, works his cast at a breakneck pace and makes both plays accessible and delightful.

One must remember that this brilliant ensemble cast is doing a repertory of different roles in different plays. One can’t help but be in awe of their brilliance because each actor is portraying a different role in each show, and each character is so distinct that one forgets the roles are being played by the same actors. Amazing.

‘TWELFTH NIGHT’: Mark Rylance as Olivia. Photo: Joan Marcus

Twelfth Night received 7 Tony Nominations, including: Best Drama Revival, Best Dramatic Actor – Samuel Barnett, Best Supporting Actors : Paul Chahidi, Stephen Fry, MARK RYLANCE, Best Director – Tim Carroll, BEST COSTUME DESIGN – JENNY TRAMAN.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published November 15, 2013
Reviewed at press performance on November 14, 2013

The post ‘Twelfth Night’: Shakespeare at his best appeared first on StageZine.

MONARCH & MADNESS: Mark Rylance as Richard III. Photo: Joan Marcus

RICHARD III
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Tim Carroll
Belasco Theatre
111 West 44th Street.
(212-239-6200), www.ShakespeareBroadway.com

 By David NouNou

After seeing some pretty whacked-out Shakespeare earlier this year; from Alan Cumming’s frightful one-man Macbeth to the current gimmicky, twisted revival of Romeo and Juliet, I was dreading having to sit through another one of the Bard’s great works being desecrated. I’m happy to report that Shakespeare has finally been given his just and deserved due by the Shakespeare Globe Co. from England.

Alternating with another Shakespeare classic, Twelfth Night, I got to see Richard III first, and what a glorious production. This is not the conventional, hump-backed, beak-nosed, sneering Richard; this version has given him a comedic side. From his first entrance, Mark Rylance inhabits this Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later to become King Richard the III, as more of a harlequin court jester than the evil incarnate Richard we are familiar with. At times he is even buffoonish. For Mr. Rylance, one of the most fearless actors of the stage, has given us a new interpretation. Yes, he still manages to kill off his brothers, nephews, and most everyone who opposes him or who stands in his way to the ascension to the throne. We know he is doing evil but he does it in a most beguiling way; the transformation to evil incarnate comes much later.

Though Mr. Rylance’s performance would be categorized as unconventional, this production is done in the traditional manner: dialogue, sets, and costumes. Adding to the grandeur is the beautiful, authentic Elizabethan music played by expert musicians. Just as in Shakespeare’s day, men play women’s parts. Samuel Barnett as Queen Elizabeth, whose two young sons are murdered by Richard, is splendid as is Joseph Timms as Lady Anne. Also giving good performances  are Angus Wright as Buckingham and  in the dual role of Hastings and Tyrrell, Paul Chahidi.

I must admit it is an unconventional Richard III, and a lot of credit goes to Tim Carroll for his fast-paced direction and infusing much authenticity from the Shakespearean era. However, I did miss the sinister fear striking-in the-heart-malignant Richard. I could have done with a little less shtick and a bit more venom.

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE: Mark Rylance as Richard III. Photo: Joan Marcus

Tony nominated for Best Drama Actor 2014 – Mark Ryelance

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published November 14, 2013
Reviewed at press performance on November 13, 2013

The post ‘Richard III’ revival does the Bard justice appeared first on StageZine.

STAR-CROSSED PRODUCTION: Orlando Bloom & Condola Rashad in ‘Romeo & Juliet’. Photo: Carol Rosegg

ROMEO AND JULIET
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by David Leveaux
Richard Rodgers Theatre
226 West 46th Street
(877-250-2929), www.RomeoAndJulietBroadway.com

By David NouNou

Alas, what a pity for William Shakespeare that his plays are being reduced to gimmicky shows to draw in an audience.  Earlier this year, his Macbeth was done as a one-man show, with Alan Cumming playing virtually all the parts. Now, Romeo and Juliet, what might be Shakespeare’s most accessible play, has been reduced to an interracial version. How original. Did anyone on the creative staff ever hear of West Side Story? Now that was revolutionary. Did any of them see Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 original concept movie, Romeo + Juliet, set in Venice, California instead of Italy? Now that was radical.

The fault indeed lies not with the play, for it is still a masterpiece, but with David Leveaux’s misguided and unfocused direction. About the only thing that is intact is the florid language, but as spoken by the actors on the stage of the Richard Rodgers Theatre, one wonders at times what language. We are treated to: the traditional dialogue, garbled, high-school-level delivery, jive talk, and speed-reading delivery. Where was the ear to rein all this mayhem? However, nothing is as baffling as Leveaux’s choice of having Lady Capulet (Roslyn Ruff) doing a native African tribal dance in the middle of Act I, during Juliet’s ball. Even having Romeo (Orlando Bloom) making his entrance riding a motorcycle is more laughable and ludicrous than imaginative and original.

If there is anyone out there unfamiliar with the plot, Shakespeare himself said it best in the prologue;”Two Households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life.” It would help immensely if you heard these words sung to the 1978 Alec R. Costandinos’ album of “Romeo and Juliet.” Now that was phenomenal. It can be seen and heard on Youtube.

Orlando Bloom as Romeo, and Condola Rashad as Juliet, are the two young doomed lovers. The problem here is that they are doomed long before the show comes to its tragic end; the reason being is that they lack any form of chemistry or cohesion together. Mr. Bloom of Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean fame lacks any charisma or fire to ignite his Romeo. He is too old to play callow with charm and ardor; instead, he comes off as a whining simp.

Even Condola Rashad, who is always charming and enthralling to watch, is lost here. She has no real grasp of the Shakespearean language or her character. At every turn, it seems she is sabotaged by her director, Mr. Leveaux; whether it’s her famous balcony scene reciting her “Romeo Oh Romeo” soliloquy, or her giddy conversation with her Nurse (Jayne Houdyshell) or even her scenes with Friar Laurence (Brent Carver), she is stiff and lackluster. She lacks the passion, spark and yearning of a young girl who is deliriously in love with her first and only love.

This version of Romeo and Juliet seems to be neither fish nor fowl; for it can neither swim nor fly. It seems stuck in its place, much like a kiwi bird that keeps flapping its wings but is never airborne. It can’t decide whether it wants to go the traditional route by using Shakespearian language or go the hipster route (replete with grunge gray/black drab costumes and scenery – which makes the show even drearier) to attract a new audience who is familiar with Mr. Bloom. Ultimately, it just ends up as a hodgepodge mess.

Besides Romeo and Juliet, there are at least three more Shakespearian plays coming this fall alone: Yet another Macbeth at Lincoln Center with Ethan Hawke; an all-male version of Twelfth Night and Richard III, both with the formidable Mark Rylance. One can only hope these other shows will be more focused and pleasanter evenings to endure.

JULIET’S BALCONY IN MID-AIR: Condola Rashad in ‘Romeo & Juliet’. Photo: Carol Rosegg

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published September 19, 2013
Reviewed at press preview on September 11, 2013

The post ‘Romeo & Juliet’ lacks chemistry appeared first on StageZine.