BWW Reviews: THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS at Shakespeare Theatre Company

It was a decade ago yet I can still recall Robert Dorfman starring in the wonderful Center Stage production of The Servant of Two Masters directed by Irene Lewis.  Well, the Shakespeare Theatre Production is not anything like it.

This production began at the Yale Repertory Theatre in 2010 with mostly the same cast and will head to the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis and to Boston's ArtsEmerson:The World on Stage as part of their 2012-2103 Seasons.

This adaptation of the famous Carlo Goldoni classic is by Constance Congdon (with a translation by Christina Sibul) and directed by Christopher Bayes. If you are not familiar with commedia dell'arte, this certainly would be a good introduction.  If you are familiar, and are not a fan, I suggest you stay away.  This production is commedia dell'arte to the extreme. It's magical, full of slapstick, many asides alluding to DC (quite common in this genre) and improvisation.  Press night there were two mentions of the Arena Stage production of The Music Man ("Oh, that's cross-town"), the musicals Oliver and Joseph and the Amazing Techicolor Dreamcoat, and music from Donna Summer and The Bee Gees.  I was reminded of the "Prego" spaghetti sauce commercial..."It's all in there."

Heading the impressive cast is Steven Epp who plays the servant, Truffaldino, who devises a scheme to work for two masters in Venice. One, a woman in disguise played by the delectable Rachel Spencer Hewitt (Beatrice) and the other, Jesse J. Perez as Florindo.  One needs a program to realize that the same Hewitt was so terrific in her role of Madeline in the STC's wonderful production of Strange Interlude.

Special mention must be made of the two musician composers who sit stage right during the entire evening: Aaron Halva and Chris Curtis.  Curtis is the string player while Halva plays the drums with an accordian around his chest and also plays keyboards. It's a hoot to watch them and their sound effects.

Other cast members who are all stand-outs are Danielle Brooks (Clarice), Liam Craig (Brighelia), Allen Gilmore (Pantalone), Andy Grotelueschen (Silvio), Don Darryl Rivera (Il Dottore) and Liz Wisan(Smeraldina).

The designers are all new to the STC; Katherine Day (set design), Chuan-Chi Chan (Lighting), Valerie Therese Bart (Costumes), and Nathan A. Roberts and Charles Coes (Sound).

I constantly marvel at the STC publication "Asides" which is chock full of information on the play, the performers, and the making of the production. Visit www.Asides.ShakespeareTheatre.org.

I think Constance Congdon best summarizes this production. "When you see this play, you willhear "jokes" that are completely of your time, and yet they come from a structure that is thousands of years old."

And don't forget the T-shirt for sale in the lobby which says -  "Everything is Confusing, Everything is Magic."  And that's the play and I wouldn't want to give any more away.

For tickets, call202-547-1122 or visit www.shakespearetheatre.org.

                               

                             Shakespeare Theatre Company to Receive Tony Award

Don't forget the Tony Awards Presentation on CBS Sunday night, June 10 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Getting the award for Best Regional Theatre will be the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Well deserved I might add.  Congratulations to Artistic Director Michael Kahn, everyone on the staff of the STC and all the actors who have performed there.

cgshubow@broadwayworld.com

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.