Death and the King’s Horseman by Wole Soyinka

The rhythms, the timing, and method of communication in Death and the King’s Horseman are not familiar or comfortable for a typical American play-goer. But, if you let yourself be absorbed into the opening long, chatty, riddling, market scene — if you let your thoughts fall into the same tempo as the indirect, elaborate, and elegant storytelling dialog — then Death will grab you from the opening curtain… err… more like opening colorful banner… and make you witness an unwanted, unavoidable, and unstoppable tragedy.

This vignette of colonialism is written by Wole Soyinka, a Nigerian, whose native conversational conventions and behaviors are skewed from the linear and logical lines which create traditional Anglo theatre experiences. Death is definitely recognizable as a play, and it follows dramatic rules, but it maintains a feeling of being somehow culturally foreign and richer.

The plot is simple.  The tribal king has died and according to custom his Horseman must prepare the way for the king on the other side. One step in fulfilling this duty is for the Horseman (Derrick Lee Weeden) to end his time on this side by killing himself.  The low-level English District officer (Rex Young) prevents the Horseman from carrying out this “barbaric” suicide.

The play and the production are anything but simple.  (more…)

Equivocation by Bill Cain

This world premiere production is stuffed with clever concepts, interesting plots, brilliant acting, spectacular execution, and meaningful messages. It’s an artistic tour de force bursting with importance and complex stories which are determined to cross centuries of time to reflect the current events of 2009 (or, at least George Bush’s 2001-2009 torture-burdened court).

But, it is disappointment to have to sit through such an overwrought and under-edited excellent draft play.  I am puzzled why a typical amateur error of piling on content was allowed to progress to a full-blown production on stage. Listed in the Playbill as 2 1/2 hours, the actual running time is 20 minutes longer.  An excellent version of this will require only 90 minutes and will strip away 90 or 95 of the 100 plot lines and complications. (more…)

Ashland, Oregon
opening night at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

We were so looking forward to seeing the Oregon Shakespeare Festival redeem themselves after their 2002 butchery where they “adapted” Macbeth to make Lady Macbeth warm and cuddly and misunderstood. We went home thoroughly disappointed.

Last night’s production left Shakespeare’s words intact but unsexed it emotionally and deposited its storyline in disconnected speeches all across the stage.  This Macbeth is a bombastic mess badly conceived and faithfully driven into the ground by the talented acting staff. (more…)

Ashland, Oregon
opening performance at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl

A fun, snappy script built around a clever premise makes this theater adventure a satisfying romp. 

The play is pure entertainment as far as I can figure out. Its send-up of our need for constant communication makes me worry that I am missing Something Deeper.  But, if I’ve missed it, I am happy anyway.

The play notes tell us about a “… film-noir odyssey that crisscrosses life and death, isolation and connection, what’s real and what’s not.”  Yeah, well, sure.  It was mostly fun, though. (more…)

Ashland, Oregon
at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Othello by William Shakespeare

Words, words, words!  Othello (Peter Macon, pictured left) and Iago (Dan Donohue, pictured right) made me feel like they each had too many of those damn multisyllabic chores to get through before they were allowed to go offstage and do something else.

There was one wordy speech after another.   You know the kind: they’re loaded with big rhyming Shakespeare words.  Good-for-you and opaque.

Othello starts off on full-tilt loud ranting pitch which Macon maintains for nearly every scene and utterance.  Donohue is quieter, more controlled, and clearer. But, he is also always talking through a mouth full of dusty Elizabethan words. Additionally, Donohue’s voice quavers annoyingly when he’s trying to communicate intensity.  Dan, retire the vibrato!

At two hours fifty minutes Othello was more of an endurance trial for both actors and audience.  They spoke, we listened and tried to give meaning to the syllables.  The powerful story of jealousy, betrayal, and tragic love appeared repeatedly, but only briefly. 
(more…)