BWW Reviews: Bursting Through the Clouds in Commonwealth Shakespeare's TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA

In my opinion, there is no better way to spend a warm summer evening than with a group of friends, sharing a picnic under a sky full of stars and a Shakespeare performance in the park to enjoy. Unfortunately, not every summer evening is warm and clear, picnics are not always practical, and sometimes the phrase "the show must go on" is utilized, even in the case of rain.

Last night I attended Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's production of Two Gentlemen of Verona in the Boston Common with a sweater pulled over my head and my knees tucked up into the fabric of my dress in an anxious attempt to avoid the onset of summer rain, which seemed determined to spoil my experience. Unfortunately for the rain, the production, performing rain or shine in the park, was too pleasant an experience to completely dampen my night.

This production, revamped in the style of Rat Pack Las Vegas, was bright and showy with neon colors, flashing lights and sporadic musical numbers. At first, I was a little put off by the extremes of the piece, which included giant fuzzy dice, Elvis wigs, and far too much neon clothing (why were Speed and Launce dressed like rebellious 80s youth?), but as the show continued I found myself really enjoying the interludes of jazz standards and modern settings. I will note that although fun, the time period is non specific, appearing to span 20 years or so rather than staying in one set time, but the location (adopting the phrase "What happens in Milan, stays in Milan") is perfectly appropriate and adds a fun twist to the plot.

The portrayals of the characters were a little drastic, with huge physical comedy and extreme vocalizations, but I think that was a choice to focus on the humor of these often ridiculous characters. Director Steven Maler did an incredible job modernizing the humor with asides, physicality and tone, relishing in the outrageousness of the action rather than attempting to justify it. The piece seemed modern and relevant, as evidenced by the outbursts of laughter from the committed, sopping crowd.

Versatile performances were given across the board as these Shakespearean actors managed to memorialize classic Rat Pack personas and sing jazz standards, all while staying true to the historic texts. A stand out for me was Andrew Burnap as Valentine, who was so heartwarmingly honest and eager, becoming a heartsick puppy whenever his love interest was around, but also amping up the sex appeal by incorporating his brilliant trumpet playing into the show. Burnap's first scene with Ellen Adair, who played Silvia, was my favorite of the piece, as it was stylized and humorous, bringing out the subtleties in the text through their hilarious and awkward flirtation. The two were well matched. Peter Cambor as Proteus and Jenna Augen as Julia gave exciting performances as well, particularly during their sultry vocal performances of "Witchcraft" and "Fever", respectively.

The set design (by Beowulf Boritt) was beautiful, with all sorts of doors and levels (the windows utilized in "Fever" were brilliant), and it matched up perfectly with Eric Southern's flashy lighting design. This was a piece that popped, and the bright lights and loud red set demanded your focus. It was undoubtedly a fun show to watch and ingest.

You know a show must be worthwhile when hoards of people suffer through the rain and an endless intermission to see the production. This is the perfect piece for a Shakespeare in the park, as it is fun and accessible and is a nice world into which you can get lost. I think I'll revisit this production once more when the weather forecast is more favorable and have the truly iconic summer experience of a delicious picnic and a happy Shakespearean show in the warm summer air. It's definitely a production I would not mind seeing again.

Directed by Steven Maler; Set Design by Beowulf Boritt; Costume Design by Nancy Leary; Lighting Design by Eric Southern; Sound Design by J Hagenbuckle; Production Management by Seaghan McKay; Production Stage Management by Kevin Schlagle; Choreography by Yo-el Cassell; Music Direction by Colin Thurmond

Cast (in order of speech): Andrew Burnap, Peter Cambor, Remo Airaldi, Jenna Augen, Mimi Bilinski, Kortney Adams, Alan R. White, Ellen Adair, Larry Coen, Evan Sanderson, Rick Park, Terrence O'Malley

The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's production of Two Gentlemen of Verona plays at the Parkman Bandstand in the Boston Common through July 28. For more information, please visit their website www.commshakes.org.

PHOTO CREDIT: www.commshakes.org

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