Reviewed by Judy Richter
Although artistic director Rick
Lombardo has
been at the helm of San Jose Repertory Theatre since the start of last season,
he's just now directing his first show there -- Shakespeare's "As You Like It." If one were to judge
solely by what takes place before intermission, this debut could be deemed an
unqualified success, even brilliant at times. However, this impression is
dimmed by what takes place in the second half.
Bearing
in mind that San Jose is the epicenter of Silicon Valley and all that it stands
for, Lombardo has given the play a contemporary setting. Upon going to their
seats, members of the audience are greeted by media and scenic designer David
Lee Cuthbert's
three-part backdrop, each a tall night photo looking into the windows of a
high-rise apartment or office building. The title is arrayed across the panels
like this: "As U Like It." The "U" is a clue to a Lombardo
idea that communication in today's world is often limited to the abbreviations
necessitated by the limited nunber of characters in text messages. Likewise,
the court of the usurping Duke Frederick (Andy Murray) often relies on indirect rather
than face-to-face communications.
The
first half of this production sends the banished Orlando (Blake Ellis) and the duke's niece, Rosalind
(Anna Bullard),
separately into the Forest of Arden. Disguised as a boy, she's accompanied by
her beloved cousin, Celia (Cristi Miles), and the court fool, the red-nosed Touchstone,
played by Steve Irish, who's outfitted like W.C. Fields. Orlando is accompanied by his
faithful old servant, Adam (James Carpenter). Once everyone gets there, most
of the action takes place in the camp of the deposed Duke Senior (Murray -- one
of several actors playing multiple roles) ) and his followers, who provide food
and shelter to Orlando and Adam. By now, winter has fallen (seasonal lighting
by Daniel Meeker).
Now
come two of the best touches. One is the use of an operatic soprano, Sepideh
Moafi as Amiens,
to sing Shakespeare's ballads set to music by sound designer Haddon Givens
Kime. The other
is the melancholy Jacques' (Carpenter again) well-known "All the world's a
stage" speech. As Jacques goes through the seven stages of man, he removes
his scarf, his jacket, his shirt and finally -- at the seventh stage -- his
wig, morphing into the ancient Adam. It's a wonderfully theatrical moment --
most memorable. Also on the plus side is the fight between Orlando and wrestler
Charles (Craig Marker), choreographed by Dave Maier..
The
second half of the show takes place in spring -- reflected by the photographic
backdrops as well as the lighting and B. Modern's colorful costumes -- when the
emphasis is on courtship. Orlando, who fell in reciprocated love with Rosalind
at court, meets up with the disguised Rosalind, calling herself Ganymede. She
insists that he pretend she's Rosalind so he can woo her properly. In the
meantime, a lovelorn shepherd, Silvius (Marker), woos shepherdess Phebe (Jeanette
Penley), who
scorns him. Even the cynical Touchstone falls in love with the somewhat
slatternly Audrey (Moafi). And at the end, it's love at first sight for Celia
and Oliver (Adam Yazbeck), Orlando's reformed older brother.
One
of the problems with this half of the show is that Lombardo directs the
shepherd folk to be drawling yokels, almost simpletons, robbing them of most of
their dignity. Irish's Touchstone contributes to this impression while losing
his own dignity and resorting to tired, bawdy stage business. Another problem
is that both he and Bullard's Rosalind say their lines too fast, losing some of
their impact. Finally, Penley is too shrill as Phebe, and Bullard needs to be
more macho in her male guise..
Still,
the first half is so inventive that one holds out great hope for the Rep and
Lombardo.
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