ROMEO AND JULIET DAZZLES IN NEW PRODUCTION AT SAN DIEGO'S OLD GLOBE THEATRE

Jesse J. Perez as Friar Lawrence, Louisa Jacobson as Juliet,
and Aaron Clifton Moten as Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet".
All photos by Jim Cox.

There have been many love stories written about the redemptive power of love in all its art forms: poems, songs, odes, sonnets, essays, novels, movies, and stage plays over the centuries. Be it the 2500-year-old Greek theatre with its ancient plays and their paean’s to love and war– or the plays of Shakespeare centuries later – each in its own way has impacted societies no matter the culture or the language.

When it comes to the English speaking theatre, however, no one has written more eloquently or with the beauty and the transformative power of our language over the last 400 years than the Bard of Avon, William Shakespeare. He was a prodigious playwriting genius, actor, and storyteller.  His magnum opus tribute to love; the tragic and cautionary tale “Romeo and Juliet,” is often referred to as the greatest love story ever written.

Barry Edelstein, the Old Globe Theatre’s Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director, is not only a recognized scholar of the Shakespearean canon, He’s also the author of “Thinking Shakespeare” a book that has become the standard text on American Shakespeare Acting in universities and academies across America.   Then who better than Mr. Edelstein to direct the Bard’s famous and tragic story of star crossed lovers, “Romeo and Juliet,” now on stage, under the stars, at the Old Globe's Lowell Davies Festival Theatre.

When a story is so well known it becomes a challenge to the performers when they reinvigorate Shakespeare’s core story, yet embrace Edelstein’s reimagining and version of accommodating the increasingly popular theatrical convention of gender-bending casting where women play male characters with dialogue originally written for men.

Kate Burton, quickly comes to mind with her successful portrayal in the “Tempest” as Prospera, at the Old Globe a couple of seasons back.  And who can deny the power of the fantastic Broadway performance delivered this season by the great Glenda Jackson as she became “King Lear,” in a performance that will be discussed for years.

Remember, in Shakespeare’s time, all the characters were played by men.  It was the law in 1600 England.  But we’re now in the 21st century in America.  Theatre is an evolving art form with concepts and ideas that still honor the human condition, but just view life through different societal lenses.  Regardless of how one feels about this new approach in presenting gender-bending casts, and to Shakespeare productions, in particular, I believe there is enough room within our theatrical landscape to accommodate everyone’s production visions… and it’s no longer against the law in doing so.

Ben Chase as Mercutio, Morgan Taylor as Benvolio,
and Aaron Clifton Moten as Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet, "

That having been said now brings us to the production in question: “Romeo and Juliet”, masterfully and seamlessly staged in modern-day dress by director Edelstein that boasts a huge cast of twenty-three talented performers.  Thanks to a spacious set design by Takeshi Kata, the stage features a wall-to-wall projection of Verona, plus a very large eye-catching performing space – center stage – filled with sand that is used as dance space, sword fight action, the Capulet family crypt,  and other key locations.

For those who have been living in a cave over the last 500 hundred years, the story centers around Verona’s two leading families: The Capulet’s and the Montague’s. They have been feuding for ages, and whenever they meet, violence breaks out.  But when Romeo Montague catches a glimpse of Juliet Capulet across a crowded dance floor one evening, something different happens. Eros’ arrow flies from the eyes of Romeo to the heart of Juliet setting in motion events that will become a tale of love that will reverberate for centuries.

Aaron Clifton Moten and
Louisa Jacobson in "Romeo
and Juliet"

Life expectancy in Verona, Italy, and Europe was roughly 40 to 50 years of age in the 16th century. This accounts for the young ages of Romeo (16) and Juliet (15 approaching 16). Human emotions, however, haven’t changed much over the centuries.

Director Edelstein, in bringing his vision to the Globe stage, wisely injects his whimsical side into the Act One stage proceedings of its two acts and rightly so.  In Act One, there are enough anachronisms to signal that this production is not your grandfather's version, and when Juliet breaks into Barry Manilow’s song and dance number “Copacabana,” tensions are met with laughter and a sprinkling of applause from the audience who got the departure from the traditional court dancing scene (yes, there is musical underscoring in some of the scenes). Talk about a fresh approach to a revered story. That’s why Edelstein is considered one the most creative of theatre artistic directors in America today.

In Act Two, however, all is traditional Shakespeare in its execution.  Purists need not worry.  None of the urgency, potency, and poignancy is missing, and finely judged performances abound in this impressively staged production.

Aaron Clifton Moten stars as a gentle and passionate Romeo.  Louisa Jacobson is a scene-stealing Juliet who is hard to resist. Her range runs the gamut from giddy youthfulness to a determined and committed young adult.  All her scenes in the second act have the ring of authenticity of youth and its impetuousness.  Both actors bring many professional credits to their appealing performances as the star crossed lovers that resonate with the audience.

Sofia Jean Gomez as Lady Capulet, Louisa Jacobson
 as Juliet, and Candy Buckley as Nurse in
"Romeo and Juliet".

Candy Buckley as the Nurse shines as both caregiver and confidant of Juliet in a nicely nuanced performance. Ben Chase, as Mercutio, delivers a finely-tuned ‘best buddy of Romeo’ in a light comedic portrayal. Mercutio’s opposite number, a bullying Tybalt, is played by a taunting Yadira Correa that reinforces the deep hatred that fuels, once more, the division between the two rival families.

Solid supporting performances come from; Cornell Womack as Lord Capulet, the opportunistic father of Juliet; Mason Conrad as Paris, Lord Capulet’s choice as a husband for Juliet; Sofia Jean Gomez as Lady Capulet (recently stared as Nora, in San Diego Rep’s “A Doll House: Part 2”); Jesse J. Perez as sympathetic Friar Laurence; Morgan Taylor as Benvolio and Carlos Angel Barajas as The Prince of Verona.

Louisa Jacobson as Juliet and Aaron Clifton Moten as Romeo
in "Romeo and Juliet."

The technical creative team for “Romeo and Juliet” led by director Edelstein features the aforementioned Scenic Designer Takeshi Kata, Costume Designer Judith Dolan, Lighting Designer Stephen Strawbridge, Sound Designer Sten Severson, Music Director and composer of original music  Mark Bennett, Justin Gray, pianist and conductor and Fight Director Jacob Grigolia Rosenbaum complete the creative team.

‘”Romeo and Juliet” is a splendid production that performs in The Old Globe Theatre complex in San Diego’s Balboa Park at the Lowell Davies Festival Outdoor Theatre and runs through September 15, 2019. It’s a great way to spend an evening under the stars. Don’t miss it!

--Jack Lyons

THE UNDERPANTS AT OLD GLOBE THEATRE REVEALS SAUCY HUMOR OF STEVE MARTIN

Regina De Vera as Louise Maske and Jeff Blumenkrantz as Klinglehoff
in "The Underpants. "All photos by Jim Cox.

Silly is, as silly does, could easily be the subtitle following the name of the current comedy/farce romp “The Underpants,” now on stage at the Old Globe’s Sheryl and Harvey White stage.

However, when the playwright in question is the wildly talented and brilliant Renaissance man of comedy who writes, acts, directs and plays the banjo, in addition to being an award-winning producer/musician who is delightfully just flat-out, off-the-wall at times, and answers to the name of Steve Martin…well, attention has to be paid and attendance is a must.

Martin has been a quirky comedy writing and performing force since his debut in the 1960s on the “Smothers Brothers” TV show. He was the darling of late-night TV shows for years, appearing on the Johnny Carson show and guest starring on others. Martin, then answered the siren call of Hollywood,  scoring with such hit movies as his comedy adaptation “Roxanne,” a take-off on the Edmond Rostand stage swashbuckler “Cyrano de Bergerac,” the hero with the longest of noses, that no man dare mention in his presence without consequence.  Martin, the author/star of “Planes, Trains, & Automobiles,” “Father of the Bride,” and “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” with Michael Caine among others, had talent to burn then and still does today.

This time, however, Martin is just the playwright.  The wonderful ensemble cast of seven solid Equity performers under the seamless, inventive, staging in-the-round, of Broadway director Walter Bobbie and frequent Steve Martin collaborator, is a winning combination once again.  Bobbie directed Martin’s recent Broadway hit “Bright Star.”  Their “Underpants” production is a comic feast for the eyes and ears along with the joys of experienced farceurs doing their physical bits while at the top of their games is fun to watch.

Regina De Vera, Michael Bradley Cohen, Eddie Kaye Thomas
and Luis Vegas in "The Underpants."

The production is based on the 1910 novel by German author Carl Sternheim, who wrote his intriguing and deliciously bawdy story of how German society dealt with the male vs. female relationships of their day was intended to be more of a sober documentary.

Once Steve Martin, however, got to apply his zany and off-the-wall playwright gifts to the script, director Bobbie doubled down as well delivering a hilariously funny, comedy romp, where innuendos reign supreme. There’s not a blue word uttered by anyone in the cast. Sex, you see, can indeed be discussed in polite company and still be enjoyed by today’s audiences; even for those who squirm a little bit in their theatre seat when the characters get sexy and the dialogue gets racy.  Comedy-farce is a great equalizer between men and women. If done right, both sides win.

Regina De Vera and Eddie
Kaye Thomas in
"The Underpants"

In Martin’s adaptation of “The Underpants,” set in 1910 Dusseldorf, Germany, fetching young beauty Louise Maske (Regina De Vera), who is newly married, has become bored in her sexless marriage with her demanding and uptight bureaucrat husband Theo (Eddie Kaye Thomas). Then one day at a Royal parade Louise jumps up on a bench to see the King go by, and oops, a clothing malfunction occurs.  Her bloomers come loose and fall down around her ankles, right in front of everyone. Theo is aghast and frantic with worry about losing his job and their reputation.  Suddenly the room they’ve been trying to rent now has plenty takers eager to occupy it.  Such are the benefits of fame.

The renting applicants consist of: Frank Versati (Luis Vega) a wealthy smooth-talking narcissistic poet who believes that no woman can resist him; Benjamin Cohen (Michael Bradley Cohen) is a jealous Jewish barber who never takes no as an answer; Gertrude Deuter (Joanna Glushhak) the nosy, upstairs, sex-starved neighbor, who keeps egging on Louise to have an affair channels the character traits and vocal delivery of Frau Blucher from  Mel Brooks’ film “Young Frankenstein,” a role she portrayed in the National touring production, is a hoot;  Jeff Blumenkrantz, as Klingelhoff,  and Kris Zarif as the King, complete this fine comedy romp cast.

Regina De Vera and Joanna Glushhak
in 'The Underpants."

The play’s ‘underpants incident/premise’ of 1910 is the 21st-century version of what Pop artist and celebrity writer Andy Warhol called such occurrence as having one’s “fifteen minutes of fame.”  Today’s generation calls the result of such an incident as “going viral.” The Old Globe audience finds it just the ticket for promoting and/or encouraging female empowerment and a thumbs up for the #Me Too movement thrown in for good measure.

My sense of who in the audience is getting the message that Martin, Bobbie, and the cast are sending is definitely being received and enjoyed by the distaff side by a three to one ratio.  The females got every gesture, every laugh line, while the males, at least in my sightline, sat with arms folded where an occasional smile would cross a face. Generally, very few smiles were on the faces of the older men, even while in repose.  The shock of recognition apparently must have been too much for them to endure.

To that, I say it’s just poor sportsmanship on their part.  Men have enjoyed the advantages of Patriarchy for over 10,000 years, and now they begrudge the ladies a few decades to shine and enjoy the sunlight of equality along with a modicum of notoriety or celebrity?   As the millennials say, “Get over it,” the world is moving on.  All aboard!

Eddie Kaye Thomas and Jeff Blumenkrantz
in "The Underpants."

The Old Globe performing arts complex is state of the art when it comes to various technical team requirements. In the case of “The Underpants” production led by director Bobbie, it features the technical skills and talents of such Broadway stalwarts as Tony Award-winning Scenic Designer John Lee Beatty; Costume Designer Alejo Vietti; Lighting Designer Phillip S.Rosenberg, and Tony Award-winning Sound Designer Nevil Steinberg.  Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein is a magician when it comes to gathering the best and brightest for his season of plays at The Old Globe Theatre complex.  And, no New York, you can’t have him back.  By popular demand, he stays in California.

“The Underpants” is a funny, entertaining, and crowd-pleasing production. It’s been extended twice and now runs through September 8, 2019. It’s a must-see production. Don't miss it!

-- Jack Lyons