Offscript - Cast away
Demonstrating the limits and virtues of nontraditional casting
For a kind of primer in nontraditional casting, see the Georgia Shakespeare Festival’s The Tempest, which runs through Nov. 2.
Strictly speaking, any Shakespeare production that includes actresses breaks with “tradition,” since Elizabethan plays had all-male casts. But The Tempest, directed by Richard Garner, features five actresses. In Garner’s production of the magical shipwreck comedy, not only are Miranda and Ariel played by women, but three of the play’s masculine roles have been feminized, most conspicuously the lead role of Prospero, here called “Prospera.”
Michele McCullough’s performance as the elderly counselor “Gonzala” exemplifies nontraditional casting. The role’s small enough that it requires few changes to accommodate an African-American woman in the part. It’s the kind of choice that permits a classic play to have a more diverse ensemble without impinging on the integrity of the text.
Turning villainous Antonio into “Antonia” makes a stronger statement. As played by Tess Malis Kincaid, the character is arguably more interesting as a woman than as a man, more Lady Macbeth than Iago. When she tries to convince the king’s brother (Joe Knezevich) to commit regicide, the temptation crackles with a sexual charge.
Casting Isma’il ibn Conner as the monstrous, enslaved Caliban proves more problematic. Putting an African-American in the role draws attention to the genuine legacy of American slavery, and Conner’s passionate performance makes Caliban a far more sympathetic figure. But since the text frequently makes Caliban the butt of jokes and abuse, here he’s a figure of both pathos and mockery, setting the creative choice at odds with Shakespeare’s intent.
Jan Akers’ performance as Prospera turns out to be nearly seamless, and she easily assays the politician, father and magic-user as a Duchess, a mother and a sorceress. Switching the gender of a leading role, like having an actress play Hamlet, can frequently seem like an excuse for showy performances. Without Akers, the female Prospero probably wouldn’t be worth doing, but the actress more than justifies the decision as she deeply digs into the role’s moments of joy, doubt and anguish. And she offers some fresh angles on the character, evoking Mother Nature, a no-nonsense mother-in-law and a perky event-planner.
Akers, Conner and Kincaid all provide intriguing and imaginative work in the Festival’s production. But it proves a rather dry Tempest overall, bogged down by unfunny clowning, static pageantry and arid exposition. While gimmicky casting can be the downfall of a concept production, even inspired choices like Garner’s can’t compensate for a flawed show.
Oh Henry
The Atlanta Shakespeare Company doesn’t need stunt casting for its “Shakespeare History Extravaganza,” because the actors will have enough on their minds in the marathon repertory. From Nov. 6 to Dec. 7, the Shakespeare Tavern presents the four plays of the “Henriad” — Richard II, Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II and Henry V — in sequence, with one play running each week, and then all four running back to back (to back to back) the first week of December.
The history four-parter marks the culmination of the theater’s presentation of 10 Shakespeare plays in four months. The schedule requires some remarkable juggling of its actors: By December Brik Berkes will have played roles in eight plays, including Prince Hal/Henry V in the history cycle.
Artistic director Jeff Watkins directs all four of the histories, which began rehearsals in early August. He compares the troupe’s workload to the demands of Elizabethan ensembles, who often had to be prepared to do a different show each night.
I can’t go on. I’ll go on.
When renowned director Joseph Chaikin died in June, 7 Stages faced a dilemma for its upcoming Waiting for Godot, a remount of Chaikin’s 1992 production with Del Hamilton and Don Finney. 7 Stages has announced that Godot will go on in March with a different director and be dedicated to Chaikin’s memory.
7 Stages’ Godot will now be directed by Germany’s Walter Asmus, arguably the world’s leading authority on directing the play. Asmus not only has staged the show all over the world, he served as assistant director to Beckett himself for the play’s Berlin production in 1974. Chaikin’s Godot was one of the finest shows in 7 Stages’ history, but Asmus’ production promises to be uniquely moving.