"Hamlet" and "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" by The Acting Company at the Guthrie Theater

I think it's safe to say that William Shakespeare's Hamlet is one of the best, most popular, and most produced plays in the world. Tom Stoppard's 1966 play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, made into a movie in 1990, offers us an alternate view of the story from the point of view of two minor characters who, yes, end up dead at the end of the play. The Acting Company, a touring Shakespeare company with close ties to the Guthrie, is currently presenting both plays in repertory. It's a brilliant idea, and since I'm a fan of The Acting Company and I love the idea of repertory (two or more plays with the same cast) I jumped at the chance to see both plays in quick succession - Friday night Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, followed by a Saturday matinee of Hamlet. The former is absolutely hilarious and wildly entertaining, and it gave me a double pleasure in viewing the latter - the great drama and well-known language of Hamlet as well as the "secret" knowledge of what may be going on behind the scenes with poor Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Hamlet

the fight scene in Hamlet

I'm sure you're all familiar with the tale of the Danish prince whose kingly father was murdered by his uncle Claudius, who then married his mother. It's no wonder he's in a bit of a funk. And that's putting it mildly; basically the play chronicles his descent into madness (or is it sanity?). Hamlet is visited by his father's ghost, who tells him that his death is no accident, so Hamlet plots to kill his uncle/father/ king with the help of his friends and a troupe of players. Let's just say it doesn't go well. It really is a beautiful play, full of drama with a bit of humor as well, with well-drawn complex characters. It's such an important and popular play that many of its lines have worked their way into our pop culture lexicon, including "the play's the thing," "the lady doth protest too much, methinks," "neither a borrower nor a lender be," "to thine own self be true," "brevity is the soul of wit," and my favorite, "the rest is silence." This is a great production, dynamic and compelling with a nice balance of light humorous moments and intense drama. And what a cast! I'll talk about them a bit later.

Hamlet chats with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
These two minor characters appear only briefly in Hamlet. They're old friends of Hamlet that his mother and uncle send for to help him out of his funk. Basically they're used, both by Shakespeare as a way to move the plot forward, and by Claudius to get to Hamlet and then send him away to England, which is the end of them. Stoppard's reimagining of the story sees them mostly sitting around waiting for their interactions with the world of Hamlet. They have many conversations about topics like death, fate, memory, and probability (the play opens with a long scene of flipping coins, which improbably land on heads 90 times in a row), and play silly games like questions (quickly hurling questions at each other until someone breaks and makes a statement). The main action of Hamlet occasionally interrupts their conversation, as they run into the troupe of players, receive their instructions from Claudius, and talk to Hamlet - a scene that's fast-forwarded as the actors mime words and move quickly while a garbled track of sped-up talking plays. We even see Hamlet's famous "to be or not to be" speech, but we don't hear it as the focus is on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. They seem to exist only within the world of the play; they have difficulty remembering their life before and seem to know that this is the end for them. It's really clever writing by Mr. Stoppard to create this story and these characters in and around the world of one of the greatest plays ever written; he really does add to greatness.

The thrill of seeing these two plays back to back by the same company is that the same actors play the same characters in both plays, so it really does seem like you're see flip sides of the same coin. The star of the shows is John Skelley as Hamlet. An Acting Company alum who's also frequently seen at the Guthrie (see last summer's gorgeously intense Long Day's Journey Into Night, for example), John is one of my favorite actors to watch because he's such a natural and present actor. This is no exception; his Hamlet is charming and funny at one moment, and crazy intense the next. In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, he's able to play it a little looser and more comedically; he has less to do but is able to have more fun with it, almost as if he's playing two versions of the same iconic character.

The other stars of the shows are the brilliant comedy team of Grant Fletcher Prewitt and Ian Gould as the slow-thinking Rosencrantz and the fast-talking Guildenstern. They work so well together and have such an easy and fun chemistry, perhaps because this is the end of their 6+ month tour. They're like Abbot and Costello, and somehow their interactions are made funnier by the fact that one is short and one is tall, one slow and one quick. Even their brief appearances in Hamlet are played to maximum comedic effect, or maybe it's just because I already knew and loved them. They even get to bring their comedy relationship to the roles of the gravediggers in Hamlet. I was originally hoping to see Hamlet first followed by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, but I'm glad I saw Rosencrantz and Guildenstern first because it allowed me to seek for and find the comedic moments from that play in the more serious one.

The three leads are well supported by a great cast, including Andy Nogasky as Polonius (quite the comedian himself in both plays), Angela Janas as the sweet Ophelia driven to madness, and Patrick Lane and Jacqueline Correa as the king and queen. I find it interesting that each show has a different director (John Rando for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and The Acting Company's Artistic Director Ian Belknap for Hamlet), because there is some overlap of scenes. Obviously they worked together closely; sometimes scenes are played out very similarly in both shows, sometimes the same action but with a different tone, and sometimes quite differently. The technical personnel is the same as both shows play on the same set, comprised of classical arches and stairs (designed by Neil Patel), with the same gorgeous costumes by Candice Donnelly.

Sadly, The Acting Company is only in town for two weeks with these two great shows, through May 4. If you like classic Shakespeare, go see this fine production of Hamlet. If you like clever and fast comedy, go see Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Or do yourself a favor and see both on the same day or back-to-back days for a deeper appreciation of both plays.

"Long Day's Journey Into Night" at the Guthrie Theater

Long Day's Journey Into Night is the autobiographical masterpiece of American playwright Eugene O'Neill. The son of an actor, he was born in a hotel at what is now Times Square - you can't get much more ingrained in the history of American theater than that. This piece was so personal to him that he left instructions that it not be published until 25 years after his death. His life reads like a tragedy, full of drug addiction and mental illness, so it's no wonder that this most truthful of all his plays is a tragic family story. Set in 1912 at the family's summer home on the sea, the mother is a morphine addict (as was O'Neill's mother), the father and two sons alcoholics (O'Neill's older brother died of complications of alcoholism at the age of 45). The action of the play takes place all in one day as it journeys into night (such a beautiful and poetic turn of phrase). There is love in this family, but also anger, frustration, and desperation. With the Guthrie's usual top-notch production values and stellar (and primarily local) cast, it's a heavy, intense, thought-provoking, and deeply rewarding look at an American classic.

John Skelley and Helen Carey as mother and son

On the night I attended the play, shortly before the lights came up in that lifelike and lived-in seaside home built on the thrust stage, there was an announcement that the role of family patriarch James Tyrone was to be played by Raye Birk, rather than James' usual portrayer, Peter Michael Goetz.* A slight murmur of disappointment rippled through the audience, but 30 seconds after Raye Birk stepped on stage I forgot that anybody other than him was supposed to be playing this role. I've been a fan of Raye's for years, but I'm even more in awe of his talent after watching him step so smoothly into a role that he'll probably only play a handful of times in the six-week run of the show. He and the rest of the cast completely embody these characters both physically and emotionally, and make your heart break at the tragic situation they've created for themselves. The beginning of the play is almost hopeful. Mother Mary (a fragile and fluttery Helen Carey) has just returned from her latest attempt to get sober and seems to be doing well, despite the men in her family watching and reading into her every move and word (it's almost as if their suspicion of a relapse is a self-fulfilling prophesy; they expect her to return to her addict ways and so she does). Youngest son Edmund (a stand-in for the playwright) is sick with consumption (played by John Skelley, who, thanks to his constant cough and the make-up and wardrobe, looks and sounds convincingly sickly, sallow, hollow-eyed, and thin in an oversized sweater). Things go
downhill as the day

the Johns Skelley and Catron as the Tyrone brothers

progresses and pre-lunch drinks turn into pre-dinner drinks turn into an after-dinner binge (as the elder son Jamie, John Catron is such an excellent drunk that I was afraid he was going to fall over!). Heartfelt discussions and confessions (in vino veritas, as Jamie says) are shared between various pairs of characters, but the day ends with the family stuck in the tragedy of self-destruction.

If you're a fan of the American theater, head to the Guthrie between now and February 23 to experience this classic.


*Update: Raye Birk is permanently taking over the role of James Tyrone from Peter Michael Goetz, who has returned to his California home to take care of a personal matter. I'm sorry to see Peter go and I wish him well, but rest assured that the role is in good hands.

"Tales from Hollywood" at the Guthrie Theater

To complete the Christopher Hampton trilogy that is the beginning of the Guthrie's 50th anniversary season, I saw Tales from Hollywood last night. And it is perhaps my favorite of the three plays, which also include the historical drama Appomattox and the small but intense relationship drama Embers. It's funny and clever, yet sad and moving, with staging that turns the Thrust stage into a Hollywood studio.

Like Appomattox, Tales from Hollywood is based on true events in American history. The time is the 1930s and 1940s, the place is Hollywood. The narrator and main character is real-life Austro-Hungarian writer Ödön von Horváth. The play begins by telling us that Ödön died when a tree branch fell on his head in 1938, and then goes on to re-imagine his life if he had lived and followed many of his fellow European writers to Hollywood to make a living writing for the movies. German writers Bertolt Brecht and brothers Heinrich and Thomas Mann are among those writers who were forced to leave their native country at a time when the Nazis were burning books (and, of course, committing many more awful crimes). Ödön leads us through the experience of writing "scenarios" for movie studios when he could barely speak English, adjusting to life in a different culture, and dealing with being German (or Communist?) in post-WWII America.

The fabulous cast is mostly led by Guthrie newcomers, with many Guthrie favorites in the ensemble. Lee Sellers as Ödön is wonderfully sympathetic and a great guide throughout the story. He has no accent while narrating or talking to other Europeans, but speaks in accented and fragmented English while speaking to Americans. A nice touch, it always annoys me when, in American made movies, people in other countries are seen speaking English with an accent to each other when they should be speaking their native tongue. This works well to differentiate the fluency and comfort of speaking with one another from the awkwardness of trying to communicate in a second language. Another couple of Guthrie newcomers are standouts in the cast. Keir Dullea, as Ödön's mentor Heinrich Mann, conveys that lost feeling of an emigre who's not comfortable in this new life. Allison Daugherty is excellent as his tragic wife Nelly. Guthrie veteran Stephen Yoakam once again gives a dynamic performance as the slightly crazy Bertolt Brecht. And I had fun spotting some of my faves (Summer Hagen, Charity Jones, Bill McCallum, John Skelley, Anna Sundberg) in the background of the scenes, and wishing they had more to do.

The staging of this play is really unique, with lots of little movie tricks. The stage looks like a movie studio, with ensemble members directing huge spotlights. Some scenes are filmed by an old camera off the stage, with the image projected onto the backdrop of the stage, so you feel as if you're watching an old black and white movie. There's even someone doing sound effects just off-stage. Newsreel footage is also displayed on the backdrop, depicting the events being discussed. It's a pretty high-tech show, but in an inventive way that suits the Hollywood theme of the play.

Now that I've seen all three of the plays in the "Christopher Hampton Celebration," I was thinking about what they all have in common. The obvious answer is history. In Tales from Hollywood, it's the history of German emigres in the early days of Hollywood. In Appomattox, it's several centuries of history of the Civil Rights movement. In Embers, it's the personal history of one man who can't let go of the past. I may have some more ideas on that as I sit with it a bit, but for now I will just say that any of these three diverse plays is worth checking out, depending on what you're in the mood for.

"Roman Holiday" at the Guthrie Theater

you can keep the diamond,
I'll take the Vespa!

Before last night, I thought that Xanadu at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres was THE musical to see this summer. But after seeing Roman Holiday at the Guthrie, I have to amend that statment. There are two musicals you need to see this summer: Xanadu for the fun, campy, winking look at movie musicals, and Roman Holiday for a lush production of a good, old-fashioned musical.

As usual, I have never seen the classic movie on which this musical is based. This new musical written by Paul Blake incorporates songs of Cole Porter into the story of Princess Anne, who escapes her strict diplomatic schedule to spend a day touring the city of Rome with a gentleman she meets on the street. What she doesn't know is that he's a journalist who knows exactly who she is, and is planning to write a story on her. In the fairly predictable plot, they two fall in-love-for-a-day and he rethinks his plan. Even though this is a new musical, it feels like a classic, with gorgeous orchestrations of classic songs, big dance numbers, and a compelling romance. 

Francesca (Christina Baldwin) and her dancing boys

The Guthrie has assembled a fantastic cast of both local talent and imports from Broadway. The two leads fall into the latter category. Stephanie Rothenberg is absolutely delightful as the wide-eyed, enthusiastic Princess Anne. Edward Watts is perfect as the tall and dreamy Mr. Bradley. Both have beautiful voices. Another Broadway import, Jim Stanek, is charming as the third member of this friendship (and partner in Mr. Bradley's scheme). A few locals round out the principals, including the great Michelle Barber as Anne's aunt and confidante. And as I've said many times before, Christina Baldwin can do anything - from silly to serious and anything in between (did you catch her in the Moving Company's lovely Werther and Lotte?). Her Francesca is funny, flirty, and fabulous, singing and dancing with a bunch of boys.

Joe (Edward Watts) and
Anne (Stephanie Rothenberg)
in front of the Trevi Fountain

There's such great familiar talent in the ensemble that it was almost distracting. Instead of watching the main action, I was laughing at John Skelley as a mustachioed ice cream man, or marveling at the grace of Broadway vet (and local talent) Linda Talcott Lee, or watching Ann Michels dance with Tony Vierling, or recognizing Jared Oxborough beneath sideburns and a goatee. This cast has serious chops - singing, dancing, and making the background action almost as compelling as what's in the foreground.

As usual at the Guthrie, the production value is at the highest level possible. The costumes (by Matthew J. LeFebvre) are to die for, even ones that only appear on stage for a brief moment in the background. Gowns, hats, gloves, shoes, all gorgeous. The show also features amazing set construction (designed by Todd Rosenthal), with various pieces floating in and out from the sides, back and above. They've even recreated a portion of Rome's famed Trevi Fountain. Last but certainly not least, the orchestra sounds gorgeous. I should know, I was sitting almost directly behind the conductor, Andrew Cooke. This production truly is a feast for the eyes and ears!

Roman Holiday is playing in the Proscenim stage at the Guthrie from now until August 19. Check it out to see a Broadway-quality musical featuring lots of home-grown talent.

"Hay Fever" at the Guthrie

Noel Coward's play Hay Fever is one of those plays that you go to for pure enjoyment.  There's not much that's deep or thought-provoking about it, but not every play has to be.  It's just a delightfully silly romp through the life of a wealthy, spoiled, eccentric family. 

Judith Bliss is a recently retired stage actress, who continues to live her life as if she's on the stage.  Everything is a production; she creates drama just to be able to act it out.  Her husband David is a novelist who spends most of his time in his study.  Their children are, as expected, spoiled and privileged and as dramatic as their mother.  The Bliss family has a "country house" outside of London, and each member of the family invites a friend out for the weekend, without telling any of the others.  They're terrible hosts, alternately ignoring and insulting their guests.  Each of the four guests has their own reason for accepting the invitation to the country; this is a wealthy and famous family whom everyone wants to know.  But they soon learn that the Bliss family is not so pleasant to be around, despite their eccentrically charming home.

This is a dream cast of Guthrie veterans, returnees, and newcomers.  The most veteran of the cast is Barbara Bryne as the family's servant, who steals every scene she's in.  TV and Broadway actor Harriet Harris returns to the Guthrie to play Judith (she most recently appeared in The Glass Menagerie in 2007, I also saw her in another Noel Coward play, Present Laughter, opposite Victor Garber on Broadway a few years ago).  She is deliciously over the top as Judith must be, milking every moment of drama for the greatest effect.  Simon Jones is another TV and Broadway vet returning to the Guthrie (most recently seen in Shadowlands in 2008), playing the family patriarch, a sort of straight man to the craziness around him.  Cat Walleck, a newcomer to the Guthrie, is fierce and funny as Sorel Bliss, very much her mother's daughter.  Completing the family is Guthrie fave John Skelley as Simon Bliss.  He has such an easy, natural charisma on stage that he is, as always, a joy to watch.  Add to all that the perfectly cast guests, and it's a wonderful, tight, ensemble that plays the histrionics and awkward silences equally well.

I recently said that the set of The Birds, in the Guthrie's studio theater, was the most detailed set I'd ever scene.  I might have to amend that statement after seeing this set, except that in The Birds the details are crammed into a small space, while the Bliss house expands over the large thrust stage, including huge brick exterior walls and flowers in the garden as well as the busy interior.  Every surface of the home is painted or covered in a charming, eccentric style.  Janet Bird designed both the set and the gorgeous 1920s period costumes, and the look is delicious.  She and the director, Christopher Luscombe, appear to be transplanted from London's West End for this production, perhaps adding to the delightful British-ness of the play.


A fabulously talented cast, a classic play, beautiful set and costumes - just another night at the Guthrie.

"Charley's Aunt" at the Guthrie Theater

I'm sure I've said this before, but I love my season ticket seat at the Guthrie's Proscenium Theater (the rectangular red one) - front row center.  It's actually in the "cheap seats" section because it's "too close."  But even though I get a crick in my neck (like sitting in the front row of a movie theater), I love being close enough to see the color of the actors' eyes and the sweat beading up on their foreheads.  I almost feel like I'm in the middle of the action.  And a lot of crazy action there is in the late 19th century English farce Charley's Aunt, playing now through mid January.

A brief plot summary: two young men at the fictional St. Olde's College in Oxford are in love with a pair of young ladies who are leaving the country tomorrow.  They need an excuse to see the ladies and profess their love to them, so they invite them over to Jack's rooms to meet Charley's aunt, a wealthy widower he's never met.  When her arrival is delayed, they convince their pal Babs to wear his theater costume and impersonate the old lady.  As you can imagine, much hilarity and hijinks ensue (including pratfalls, kicks in the rear, slaps, etc.), especially when the real aunt arrives and finds someone else using her name!

This is a brilliant cast, and it's worth noting that six of the ten cast members are graduates of the joint University of Minnesota/Guthrie training program.  Like the Minnesota Twins, the Guthrie has a strong farm system; they grow their own talent, which is on great display in this show.  Starting with the talented and charming John Skelley as the title character, or the false version of the title character.  He completely commits to this very physical role; at one point he's holding his breath and his face literally turns red as he breaks out in a sweat!  John appears to be having a great time as Babs, who is having a great time being Charley's aunt.  Except for avoiding the two distinguished gentleman vying for his affection (Colin McPhillamy and Peter Thomson - much more elegant and handsome than he was as the ruler of the Queen's navy), he gets to laugh and flirt with two lovely ladies to his heart's content!  Matthew Amendt is also wonderful as Jack, the ringleader of the whole scheme who goes from confident and enthusiastic to exasperated when his plan falls apart.  Ben Mandelbaum is adorable, boyish, and incredibly expressive as the young Charley.  Every good English comedy needs a sly, mischievous butler who's smarter than those he serves, and Guthrie newcomer Charles Hubbell fills that role well.  The three young ladies are also played by U of M/Guthrie graduates and are as lovely and talented as the men.  And if that's not enough, Sally Wingert (the Meryl Streep of the local theater scene) brings her considerable talent to the role of the real Charley's aunt.

As expected at the Guthrie, the sets and costumes are spectacular.  The three scenes of the play each have their own authentic and detailed set that floats or slides in or out.  When I first walked into the back of the theater and saw the stage, it was like looking into a Victorian doll house.  The men look sharp and elegant in their suits, and the ladies' dresses with matching hats look good enough to eat!  And from my front row seat I got a good look at the shoes - smashing.

Charley's Aunt is everything a good farce should be - silly and ridiculous, light and funny, and perfectly executed by everyone involved.

"True West" by Torch Theater at the Minneapolis Theatre Garage

I received a tip about this show about a month ago, but I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to look into it until a few days ago.  Truthfully, I was hoping to rule it out because I have a pretty busy theater schedule in the next month, with more shows to add.  But when I saw that it stars John Skelley, one of my faves, and Peter Christian Hansen, who recently won an Ivey Award, I changed my mind.  This show was another must see, and I fortunately just caught it before it closed.

True West was written by American actor and playwright Sam Shepard and first produced in 1980.  It tells the story of two estranged brothers who meet up later in life.  Austin (John Skelley) is the younger brother and the responsible, mature, educated one who has a job, wife, and kids.  His mother has asked him to house-sit for her in L.A. while she's on vacation.  He's a screenwriter so he's using the time to do some research and writing, and as well as meet with an L.A. producer.  His older brother Lee (Peter Hansen) shows up and ruins his plans.  Lee is a drifter and a grifter, never staying in one place too long, making money however he can, legal or not.  The two brothers have reacted to their father's alcoholism and abandonment in opposite ways - one by being an overachiever and hoping to win his love, the other by becoming more like him.  But eventually, they end up at the same place.

Austin is writing a screenplay on an old typewriter (remember, it's 1980), and is about to sell it to his producer Saul (a slick and slimy John Middleton).  But instead, Lee runs into Saul, and charms and cons him into buying an idea of his.  Saul drops Austin's movie (a period love story, which "no one wants to see") for Lee's silly story about two idiots chasing each other across Texas.  Austin is furious and frustrated - "everything is riding on this" - which makes you wonder what else is going on in his life that makes him so desperate to sell this screenplay.  The brothers fight and argue as they work on the new screenplay based on Lee's story.  Austin goes from drinking milk to matching Lee beer for beer, and then they both continue on to the harder stuff.  The kitchen becomes a mess of empty beer cans and littered dishes and silverware.  Austin begs his older brother to let him join him on the road, living in the desert.  Lee agrees, but their plan is quashed when their mother comes home unexpectedly.  This feels like just a snippet of this family's life that makes you curious about what happened before and what will happen next.

This play really gets deep into these two characters and their relationship with each other and their parents.  And it's not pretty.  In fact, it's brutal, and very physical.  I couldn't help but wonder how many injuries were incurred throughout the run of the show.  The actors are probably glad not to be hurling themselves and each other across the stage every night.  But it sure was entertaining, if at times painful, to watch.  John and Peter are both great and fearless in creating these characters.  I remember seeing Peter in Dollhouse at the Guthrie last year.  He was so good at playing this jerk of a husband, that I wanted to boo him when he came out for the curtain call.  This was a similar experience; they're both good at playing unlikable characters, but somehow finding the humanity in them.

I can check another theater off my list, Torch Theater, whose Artistic Director is Stacia Rice, another one of my faves.  I've been to the Theatre Garage three times in the last few months and have really come to enjoy it.  It's pretty unassuming from the outside, but for $20 cash at the door you get to see some great theater in an intimate little space (so intimate in this case that I was glad I was not sitting in the front row because it appeared that the fights were about to spill over into the audience!).  Over the last year or so I've been going to more and more venues around town to see more and more theater companies.  And the more theater that I go to, the more theater that I'm led to, as I discover more and more favorite actors, venues, and theater companies.  This town is an interconnected web of talent.

"Romeo and Juliet" by The Acting Company at the Guthrie

The Acting Company, a touring company out of NYC that travels around the country presenting classical works of theater, has spent the month of January at the Guthrie Theater.  I saw them a few weeks ago doing Shakespeare's slapstick comedy The Comedy of Errors.  I enjoyed the talented young cast so much that I had to go back to see the other show they were doing in repertory - Romeo and Juliet.  It was fun to see familiar faces in totally new roles, and although this play had a completely different tone, they again did a wonderful job and worked well together.

Our Romeo (Alejandro Rodriguez) and Juliet (Kaliswa Brewster) had pretty minor roles in The Comedy of Errors so I wasn't sure what to expect from them.  I was impressed by both of them.  They look the part of the young lovers and were believable falling in love, which quickly turned to despair.  Alejandro went from the carefree and blissful youth to the man in anguish at losing his love, literally writhing on the ground and sobbing.  The plum part of Juliet's nurse was played by Elizabeth Stahlman with great humor and energy.  Sid Solomon played Romeo's kinsman Mercutio with much of the same mannerisms as he had in Comedy, which I probably would have enjoyed more had I not been reminded of his previous character.  But he also played the Prince, a role in which he was almost recognizable.  Elizabeth Grullon played the boy Peter, a fun change from her vampy role in Comedy.  The delightful Comedy clowns Stephen Pilkington and John Skelley played the smaller but still entertaining roles of Romeo's pals.

Whenever I see Romeo and Juliet I get frustrated by all the near misses and how differently things could have turned out.  Like maybe this time, the Friar's message will get through to Romeo so he'll know Juliet is not really dead.  Or Juliet will wake up just a few minutes sooner, before Romeo has a chance to drink the poison.  Or better yet, the Friar will suggest that Juliet sneak out of her house and run away with Romeo instead of the preposterous plot of faking her death.  But it never happens; everything goes wrong and the love story ends in tragedy.  That's what makes it so deliciously heartbreaking.

After this week the company moves on around the country with their two plays, until they end the season in NYC in April.  Check out their tour itinerary to see if they'll be at a location near you.

"The Comedy of Errors" by The Acting Company at the Guthrie

I didn't know Shakespeare wrote slapstick comedies.  But The Comedy of Errors certainly is that, at least as performed by The Acting Company at the Guthrie Theater.  Complete with pratfalls, silly noises, sight gags, bawdy jokes, and plenty of actual slaps, it's way more fun than Shakespeare should be.  The Acting Company is a touring company out of New York City that tours the country with classic theater, "offering opportunities to young performers to play classical roles in major productions."  Many of the cast members are graduates of the U of M/Guthrie training program.  They're spending the month of January at the Guthrie doing The Comedy of Errors and Romeo and Juliet in repertory.  I wasn't planning to see Romeo and Juliet, thinking one show would be enough, but I really enjoyed the bright, young, charismatic cast.  I'm curious to see them in different roles in a more serious play, so I just ordered my ticket for Romeo and Juliet.  They've got an unusual number of weekday matinees on the schedule, which I imagine means a lot of school groups are coming in - always a great thing.  Next destinations on the tour are Brainerd and Madison, followed by a few more Midwest stops before a return to the East Coast.

The Acting Company cast

The Comedy of Errors features typical Shakespearean mistaken identity confusion, times two.  Two sets of twins are separated at birth, one set the "master" and the other set hired (bought?) by their parents to be the "servants."  One of each ends up with each parent, who are separated, never to meet again.  Until 25 years later.  Somehow the twins ended up with the same name, so when Antipholus and Dromio arrive in Ephesus, they're instantly mistaken for the Antipholus and Dromio who live there, and can't understand why everyone knows them but they don't know anyone.  Even Antipholus' wife is fooled, and is not happy when her husband doesn't want to come home for dinner.  Meanwhile, the "real" Antipholus and Dromio are locked out of their own home (because they're already inside) and are exasperated when people start accusing them of things they haven't done.  At times the wrong servant approaches the wrong master with something entirely other than what he asked for.  Much hijinks and confusion ensue, until after 90 minutes the two pairs meet in a hilarious scene where, after a moment of confusion, all is set right.

The four actors playing the twins are all wonderful.  John Skelley, one of my new faves (The Importance of Being Earnest and The Two Gentleman of Verona at the Guthrie), plays one of the Dromeos along with Stephen Pilkington.  Both are very funny and good at taking a punch.  Our proud and put-upon Antipholuses are Jonathan C. Kaplan and Jason McDowell-Green.  The four have great chemistry with each other, and are obviously having a good time with this show.  An interesting thing is that a few of the actors speak with British accents, while most of them do not.  I assume it was each actors' choice, and somehow it works.  Other highlights in the cast include Sid Solomon as the smarmy jewelry salesman, Whitney Hudson as Atipholus' wife who can't understand why her husband is acting so strangely, and Elizabeth Stahlman as her loyal sister, who can't understand why her brother-in-law is confessing his love for her! 

This is my first time seeing The Acting Company, and I like them.  I like what they're doing.  I look forward to Romeo and Juliet in a few weeks, as well as seeing what they'll do next year.