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