King John, youngest brother of
Richard the Lionhearted, has gotten a bum rap in the last 400 years or so,
usually being played as a weak, sniveling usurper of power while Richard was off
fighting in the Crusades. No one would mistake the John of The Lion in Winter or The Adventures of Robin Hood for the
John that Shakespeare presents. For King
John neophytes, it is immediately clear that Shakespeare wasn’t interested
in Robin Hood, or even the Magna Carta. He had other fish to
fry.
The
claim of this King John (Nicholas Stannard) to the throne is shaky, based
on some measures of deceit and betrayal, but this guy can also deliver a
workable and fair verdict in a dispute over land and parentage between Philip,
aka the bastard (Trevor Davis), and Robert Falconbridge, his half brother
(Chase Nosworthy). Eleanor of Aquitaine (Libby Hughes) – see Lion in Winter for a version of her
story – takes Philip as a courtier, John knights him, giving him legitimacy,
Robert gets the land. Quite a king – even their mother (Carla Torgrimson)
gets into the mood, admitting that Richard (the Lionhearted, remember?) is
Philip’s father.
Well, there’s also plenty of
historical exposition that needs to be delivered, but Shakespeare’s grand scheme
comes through when John and another Philip, this one the King of France,
practically bicker over the right of Arthur (Hollie Overton), son of
Geoffrey, John’s other brother – xref The
Lion in Winter again for another take on him – to be king, and John and
Arthur’s mothers, the aforementioned Eleanor and Constance (Joanie
Schumacher) take the opportunity to snipe at each other. Shakespeare’s
audience would be intimately familiar with the heads of Britain and France
fighting over protocol and governing, but it has an eerie familiarity today –
all that’s missing is a Bush. And Philip (the bastard one, John’s ally) goes out
of his way to provoke the Duke of Austria (Jed Dickson). The more things
change….
That the soap opera is
balanced by the reality of politics is Shakespeare’s triumph, even if King John doesn’t reach the heights of
his other histories or tragedies. And again, resonances of current politics are
there when neither John nor the King of France can enter Angiers – the guard at
the gate doesn’t believe who they are (no CNN then), and the bastard Philip has
to convince the monarchs to put their differences aside, to combine and conquer
so to speak, just to get in. As the bastard Philip, Davis also played to the
audience, giving running (and very cynical and entertaining)
commentary.
Coalition marriages are
arranged, alliances are tested, orders are given then not carried out, some
sides want peace, some demand war, sympathies shift, religion is set off against
the monarchy, an accidental death is cast as a murder – no current play is as
timely. Uncommonly well-acted for all its soap-opera juice, and smartly directed
by Beverly Bullock – surprising, and involving. Schumacher’s Lady Constance was
particularly good, playing her mad scene for all it was worth, but affecting
nonetheless. Having the doomed Arthur played by a woman is stacking the deck,
but it all plays out very satisfyingly.
The
stage at the Sargent Theater was nicely dressed by Viola Bradford’s sets,
and Bullock’s costumes were lush and on the money – it’s a pleasure to watch
good actors use their costumes as part of their characters. The theater’s
lighting board was up to its old tricks, but when it calmed down the
(uncredited) lighting was unobtrusive and satisfactory. King John is under-known, but it is
sturdy (and sometimes eloquent) Shakespeare, well-served by Love Creek as part
of their ongoing presentation of the canon.
Writing: 1
Directing: 2
Acting: 2
Sets: 1
Costumes:
2
Lighting/Sound: 1
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Copyright 2003 David Mackler