Capital Region Performance Gallery

by Dick Frantzreb

I have only seen one other production by the Green Valley Theatre Company ― a beautifully acted and danced performance of A Chorus Line, produced a little over a year ago. Now, after experiencing the second night in their run of Shakespeare in Love at the Tower Theatre in Roseville ― and especially after seeing the range of their shows over the past several years ― I'm left thinking that this may one of the most versatile theatre companies that I have encountered.

The theatrical version of Shakespeare in Love is, of course, based on the 1998 movie. It premiered in the UK in 2014, and only recently became licensable. I think it’s fair to say it’s a comedy in the Shakespearean tradition. Young Will Shakespeare is having trouble writing his next play, Romeo and Ethel. His friend “Kit” Marlowe offers helpful suggestions, but the breakthrough comes from the inspiration of Viola DeLessups. Despite her nobility and the law against women performing as actors, Viola schemes to get a part in Will’s play dressed as a man, and a love story ensues.

At the start of this evening’s performance, the audience was welcomed by Director Christopher Cook. Among other announcements, he noted that the part of Spot would be played tonight by Tippy. Tippy, incidentally, is a tiny, white-furred fellow, who charmed the audience in a couple of appearances ― walking on just 3 legs.

More seriously, Cook spoke for his players, saying “We love this show.” No surprise there. Besides the many ways it appealed to tonight’s audience, this felt like a play that actors should love. It seemed to me that, except for the principal roles of Will and Viola, the speaking parts were spread around the company. And most actors had the opportunity to portray more than one persona in their role, if not multiple roles. Beyond that, they had an intelligent, witty script to work with, a script which gave them ample opportunities to show what they can do.

 

Fundamental to the performance was the language which often used Elizabethan syntax and occasionally Elizabethan words and phrases. Listening to one of the numerous impressive speeches made me think of Hamlet’s instructions to the players to “speak the speech... trippingly on the tongue.” One might think of this as a veiled parody of Shakespeare, but one could easily rather consider it a tribute to the durability and appeal of Shakespeare’s style. And these actors honored that style with dialog that was presented expertly, clearly and expressively.

There was so much more that was Shakespearean or at least Elizabethan in this production. As the audience entered the theatre, we were treated to recorded Renaissance music. And throughout the performance there was live period music from a 5-member orchestra who among them played a flute, two cellos, a guitar, a drum, and Renaissance recorders. At various points they were called on to accompany incidental singing (solo, quartet, octet, and ensemble) of Renaissance madrigals. I have to add that the singers’ performance of this difficult music was a yeoman effort.

Even more than the music, the costumes were perfectly evocative of the era. It looked like the company had spared no expense in renting them. (I learned later that the majority of the costumes were made by members of this company themselves!)  And the costume for Queen Elizabeth I (no doubt one of the rentals) was simply awe-inspiring, a perfect match to her wig, make-up and demeanor.

Another nod to the period was a nicely staged group dance. But especially impressive was the pageantry of the audience with the Queen that involved orchestra-accompanied singing, dancing, and even a display of flags.

I’d have to say that the writing was often thought-provoking, with a satisfying elegance. More often though, it was laced with humor ― often sophisticated humor with plays on words, mistaken identity, insults and other techniques, such that it felt like something Shakespeare would have written were he alive today. But there were also sight gags and physical humor. I attribute some of this to the script, but I bet a lot of what kept tonight’s audience laughing came directly from the inspiration of director and actors.

Here’s an example. One character, demeaned by the others, gets knocked to the ground by Will. The action in the scene moves on, but she realizes that in catching her fall, she has put her hand in dog or horse droppings. Annoyed, she wipes her hand on the street or floor ― then moments later wipes her nose with the same hand. Somehow catching a little byplay like this is as entertaining for an audience member as picking up an obscure literary allusion (of which there are many in this script).

The fundamental idea of the plot, besides the love affair between Will and Viola, is the (imagined) rocky road toward the creation of Romeo and Juliet. The show builds on one's familiarity with Shakespeare, especially Romeo and Juliet.  And the more familiar one is with all of Shakespeare’s work, the more one will enjoy this show. However, it’s a tribute to the actors, starting with Kevin Fitzgerald as Will Shakespeare and Ashley Rose as Viola DeLessups ― but extending to all these truly talented players ― that anyone would be entertained by what I experienced, prior Shakespeare knowledge or not.

With fast-paced action and all the elements of the production that I’ve enumerated, it was still the quality of the acting that was most fundamental to the success of this show for me. I saw experienced actors who were inspired to bring their best to what was almost certainly the first time any of them had performed this play. The writers had given them a lot to work with, and work with it, they did. There was one interesting character portrayal after another, and it seemed that each player had a lot of latitude (and took it) to bring something special to their performance.

This play is a work of art, but this particular production is a work of art unto itself.  And as such, it is unique.  So though I may see Shakespeare in Love staged somewhere else by another company, the many excellences of the performance I witnessed last Saturday night will remain in my memory as a special experience.

Click on the image below for a one-minute video montage of this show.  (Opens in a new window.)

Visit Green Valley Theatre Company at their website:  https://www.greenvalleytheatre.com.