Document text
- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us July 28, 2005 Albers lets language of ‘Love’s Labor’s Lost’ shine By Roberta Kent Tidings reviewer Boyet (Derrick Lee Weeden) entertains the Princess of France (Catherine Lynn Davis , third from left) and her attendants (Tyler Layton, Sarah Rutan and Andréa Ferrez) in the OSF production of “Love’s Labor’s Lost.” Photo by T. Charles Erickson You’ve got a play that is primarily about sparkling wordplay rather than warfare or pratfalls or plot. You’re staging it in a large outdoor theater in the middle of summer. How do you propose to keep an audience engaged? You get Kenneth Albers to direct it, that’s how. Albers is OSF’s master of physical comedy and farce. Asking him to direct Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labor’s Lost” was an inspiration. Albers has taken all the play’s delightful dialogue, intricate rhyming and whoop-de-do rhetoric and matched it with subtle stage antics that, amazingly, never detract from the verbal fireworks. The plot of “Love’s Labor’s Lost” is, to be generous, thin. The King of Navarre (played by that master of physical acting, Brent Harris) proposes to three gentlemen of the court that they retire from the world — that is, from women — to study philosophy for three years. Navarre will be famous for its learning, its probity, its exquisite manners. His buddies, Berowne (Jeff Cummings), Longaville (Jose Luis Sanchez) and Dumaine (Christopher DuVal) are not keen to join an intellectual monastery, but they reluctantly sign on. Of course, no sooner than all sign an oath than someone tactlessly points out that the daughter of the King of France is on her way to Navarre on diplomatic mission from her ailing father. She is going to have to be received at court. Oops. In short order, the Princess arrives with three ladies and, to say the least, they are not amused to learn they are barred from the palace. Also, as we are reminded by the Princess’ sardonic courtier, Boyet (Derrick Lee Weeden), these lords and ladies have met and matched words before. The King of Navarre was very taken with the Princess (Catherine Lynn Davis). Rosaline (Tyler Layton) has verbally sparred with Berowne. Katherine (Sarah Rutan) has caught the passionate Dumaine’s eye. And the awkward Longaville was previously enchanted by Maria (Andrea Ferraz). The men remember these encounters and, hilariously, try various subterfuges to communicate with the women. When they are found out, it is up to Berowne to come up with ways to woo while, ostensibly, not breaking their vows. Shakespeare has added his usual subplot contrasting the lower classes with the aristocratic antics. There is the elaborate pedantry of the schoolmistress Holofernes (the hilarious Eileen deSandre), the befuddled curate Sir Nathaniel (James Edmondson) and the aptly-named constable, Dull (Jeffrey King). Mix these with the outrageous Ray Porter as Costard, rival to the lovesick and verbose Spaniard Don Adriano de Armado, played by the equally outrageous John Pribyl, and Julie Oda as Armado’s sharp-tongued page, Moth. The result is veritable declaiming ship of fools that Albers keeps roiling nonstop — including an invasion of stomping Cossacks and a pageant of declaiming “Nine Worthies.” Marjorie Bradley Kellogg’s set recreates a stately English garden in front of a proper English country house façade that melds perfectly with Susan E. Mickey’s ‘30s-’40s-’50s mix of costumes and John Tanner’s music. Effective lighting design is by Robert Peterson. Throughout this nearly three-hour romp, director Albers never loses the point of all the rhetoric, puns, allusions and metaphor. Of what use is intellect if we lose the human connection? What do we have when the head always trumps the heart? In short, Albers never sacrifices the play’s elaborate language and subtle character development to his superimposed physical action. You could close your eyes and simply listen to this production of “Love’s Labor’s Lost” and have a marvelous evening. But, then, why would you want to? “Love’s Labor’s Lost” plays in the Elizabethan Stage through Oct. 8. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Generic Viagra Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Sportsbook Absinthe Supply Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations African Safari Hammocks Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino King of Spirits ink cartridges Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams