Sunday, November 20, 2011

Quick Hit Theater Review: Richard II -- The Pearl

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From L to R: Sean McNall (Richard II), Jolly Abraham (Harry Percy), and Grant Goodman (Henry Bolingbroke). Photo: Gregory Costanzo
Richard II
By William Shakespeare
Directed by J.R. Sullivan
The Pearl Theatre Company

Summary:
Shakepeare's verse-laden play about 14th-century King Richard II (Sean McNall) who starts by making a poor decision while deciding a charge of treason brought by his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, the Duke of Hereford (Grant Goodman), against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mobray (Chris Mixon) and ends up by losing his crown. A series of plots and rebellions undermine his power and that of Bolingbroke, who usurps him, as men vie for control of " this earth, this realm, this England."

Highlights:
Jolly Abraham shines as Richard's queen and in a second role of Harry Percy. (a number of the ensemble, six of whom are members of the Pearl's resident acting company, play dual roles across genders in the production). Sullivan's tight direction creates some vivid visuals. Carol Schultz as the Duchess of York shows comedic skill in a scene where she pleads for the life of her son, the Duke of Aumerle (Wayne T. Carr) who has plotted against the king, a crime for which his father, the Duke of York (Bill Christ) wants him punished. Harry Feiner's simple set quickly conveys time and place as well as providing a second platform level for action in the tiny stage. Lighting designer Stephen Petrilli contributes some nifty stained glass and other (and stairs tuck neatly underneath the platform). Martha Hally's minimal costumes convey period and character well and the mood is enhanced by music and sound effects (Jane Shaw, sound design).

Lowlights:
Not one of Shakespeare's more interesting plays, it feels like a very long history lesson at two hours and 50 minutes (with one intermission). This Richard seems a little too weak and eager to shed tears. Folks at intermission were asking who the characters were and how they were related to each other. A helpful synopsis of the plot is included in the program, but the large number of characters (more than 30) and the doubling of roles apparently is confusing for many.

Information:
Richard II runs through Dec. 24 at New York City Center Stage II, 131 West 55th St. (between 6th and 7th avenues). Tickets can be purchased by calling 212-581-1212 or online at www.NYCityCenter.org.

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No notes. Enjoy!
Posted by Lauren Yarger at 2:17 PM

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My Bio

Lauren Yarger is Executive Director/Producer with Masterwork Productions, Inc. She has written, directed and produced numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the 2000 Vermont Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.” She also has written two other dinner theaters, sketches for church services and devotions for Christian artists.

Yarger trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Three-Day Training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run.

In 2008 she was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She writes reviews of Broadway and off-Broadway theater with a Christian perspective for Masterwork Productions (http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/) and is Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp http://www.curtainup.com/, a national theater web site based in New York and editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection, an online source for news and reviews (http://ctarts.blogspot.com/).

She also worked in arts management for The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford and for the Hartford Symphony Orchestra.

Yarger writes news and inspiration for Christian artists at http://christianpeformers.blogspot.com/ and teaches theater workshops at conferences around the country.

She is a freelance writer and member of The Drama Desk, The Outer Critics Circle, The American Theater Critics Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, the CT Press Club, the National Book Critics Circle, the Connecticut SPJ, the Connecticut Critics Circle and Christians in Theatre Arts.

A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger lives with her husband in West Granby, CT. They have two adult children.

Copyright

All material is copyright 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 by Lauren Yarger. Reviews and articles may not be reprinted without permission. Contact reflectionsinthelight@gmail.com

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Key to Content Notes:

God's name taken in vain -- means God or Jesus is used in dialogue without speaking directly to or about them.
Language -- means some curse words are used. "Minor" usually means the words are not too strong or that it only occurs once or twice throughout the show.
Strong Language -- means some of the more heavy duty curse words are used.
Nudity -- means a man or woman's backside, a man's lower front or a woman's front are revealed.
Scantily clad -- means actors' private areas are technically covered, but I can see a lot of them.
Sexual Language -- means the dialogue contains sexually explicit language but there's no action.
Sexual Activity -- means a man and woman are performing sexual acts.
Adultery -- Means a married man or woman is involved sexually with someone besides their spouse. If this is depicted with sexual acts on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.
Sex Outside of Marriage -- means a man and woman are involved sexually without being married. If this is depicted sexually on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.
Homosexuality -- means this is in the show, but not physically depicted.
Homosexual activity -- means two persons of the same sex are embracing/kissing. If they do more than that, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.
Cross Dresser -- Means someone is dressing as the opposite sex. If they do more than that on stage the listing would include the corresponding "sexual activity" and/or "homosexual activity" as well.
Cross Gender -- A man is playing a female part or a woman is playing a man's part.
Suggestive Dancing -- means dancing contains sexually suggestive moves.

Other content matters such as torture, suicide or rape will be noted, with details revealed only as necessary in the review itself.

The term "throughout" added to any of the above means it happens many times throughout the show.

Our Reviewing Policy

Our reviewer Lauren Yarger receives free tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows made available to all voting members of the Outer Critics Circle and The Drama Desk, the two professional critics organizations with journalists covering NY theater. Journalistically, she provides an unbiased review and is under no obligation to make positive statements. Sometimes shows do not make tickets available to reviewers. If these are shows our readers want to know about (we review all Broadway shows and pertinent Off-Broadway shows), Masterworks purchases a ticket.

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