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Melissa Arctic
Reviewed by Vanessa Cate
The Road Theatre Company
Through Nov. 15
Craig Wright’s re-imagining of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale is set in 1970s and 80’s Minnesota. The Winter’s Tale is thought by some to be one of Shakespeare’s “problem plays” because of the jarring nature of its tragic qualities wrapped up with a comedic and romantic ending. This incarnation is no different in that respect – things begin to verge on melodrama very quickly, escalating and de-escalating abruptly, producing a lack of emotional viability. The use of music attempts to add emotional connectivity where there is none. While musical accompaniment on the piano and other instruments is performed very well by Danny Webber, the lyrics and delivery are far too simple to make an impact, and are at times reminiscent of a high school pageant. However, this production instills a lot of heart into the proceedings, and with a fully committed cast and beautiful visuals, the result is a nostalgic and sentimental look at life, death and time itself.
Leonard (Tom Musgrave) is happy to be catching up with his good friend Paul (Coronado Romero), who is visiting from out of town. Leonard tries to convince Paul to stay another week, but is unable to. It isn’t until Leonard’s wife Mina (Laurie Okin) – and the mother of their newborn child – speaks to him that Paul is convinced to stay. This arouses suspicion, and Leonard soon goes mad with jealousy, which has dire and lasting repercussions for everyone.
Act 2 takes place 18 years in the future, when Leonard and Mina’s daughter Melissa (Hannah Mae Sturges) is all grown up, and in love with a sweet boy named Ferris (Lockne O’Brien). The result of their love brings everyone together to look at what they’ve done in their past, and who they’ve become.
The role of time itself is one of the centerpieces of this play. The character Time (Alexa Hodzic, alternating performances with Samantha Salamoff) is infused into the proceedings, singing and narrating between scenes, and looking on throughout the action. “Can everything be perfectly still?” she asks. “No.” The climax of the play rejects Shakespeare’s use of magic or deception as the catalyst for conclusion, but rather explores polychromic time, and the idea that it is possible for past, present and future to sometimes meet.
A dynamic addition to the production is Carl (Brian M. Cole), Leonard’s working partner who happens to be deaf. He readily supplies kind advice and explosive expletives via ASL, and other characters have to sign their dialogue at the same time they emote it. This provides a refreshing dynamic within the scenes, and more importantly forces everyone to choose their words very carefully, giving what they say – or choose to omit – particular meaning.
Other performers include Elizabeth Sampson, Michael Dempsey, and Joe Hart. Directed by Scott Alan Smith. And Kaitlyn Pietras’s projection work is beautiful.
The Road Theatre Company at The Road on Magnolia, 10747 Magnolia Blvd, N. Hlywd.; Fri.- Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m.; through Nov. 15 (866) 811-4111, www.RoadTheatre.org
