THEATRE REVIEW:
KPBS
AIRDATE: February 07, 2004
First, get the details. Then, get even.
It's the same info/action sequence in a classic tragedy and a modern comedy. In
"Hamlet," the Prince needs confirmation from his father's ghost that
his uncle really did commit fratricide and then marry his mother. And, in
"Women Who Steal,” Peggy needs to know when, where and how often her
husband slept with Karen. Arm yourself with the facts and then act. For Hamlet,
the ruminator, cogitator and procrastinator, revenge takes time. In Carter
Lewis' often-hilarious romp, Peggy doesn't waste a moment. In the course of one
wild night, she and Karen battle and bond, celebrate a birthday, dance under
the moon, shoot one man and kidnap another, and drink copious quantities of
Jose Cuervo tequila. By the end, desperation and despair have turned to
remorse, forgiveness and the possibility of happiness.
Hamlet should only be so lucky. The
bodies pile up and there's barely anyone left alive to tell the tale. Lamb's
Players Theatre has taken on the monumental Shakespearean challenge, in
celebration of 10 years in Coronado and 100 productions directed by Robert
Smyth. Harking back to the company's street-theater roots, he's enhanced the
role of the ragtag band of Players, who waft in and out and watch all the action
in this energetic production. Nick Cordileone is a nimble and intelligent
Prince, but not an overly deep or despairing one. Extreme effort seems to have
been put into making the masterwork comprehensible, which suggests less than
total trust in the audience. The text is considerably abridged, the comic
relief is heightened and there's music nearly throughout. The language is
clearly and naturally articulated, but the depth of character and the intensity
of emotion are somewhat lacking. Nonetheless, it's a valiant and commendable
effort, which will be especially appreciated by those who are a bit timid about
the Bard. The multi-hued costumes are attractive, the ghost is spooky, and the
deadly duel is well executed. Anyone can readily feast on this easily digested
version of the immortal tragedy.
But if you're hungry for humor,
you won't want to miss "Women Who Steal" at the San Diego Repertory
Theatre. Sam Woodhouse has impeccably cast this Thelma-Louise comedy, and
directed it with rat-a-tat timing. Shana Wride and Linda Libby are a dazzling
duo: one an attractive, over-educated, overly-analytical, still-single 40
year-old motor-mouth; the other an earthy, no-nonsense, menopausal
wife-and-mother in distress. And between them, vigorous and varied as the men
in their lives, is the first-rate Bernard Baldan. The set, lighting and sound
are as quirky as the play, which though side-splittingly funny, also covers a
fair amount of thematic turf:
male-female miscommunication, middle age angst, loneliness, desperation,
hope, regret and the path not taken. But mostly, it's an estrogen-enhanced Ms.
Toad's wild ride. Buckle up and have a blast.
©2004 Patté Productions Inc.