Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Patrick Page gives a lucid overview of Shakespearean villainry in ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE

• By drediman
• January 31, 2024
• No Comments

Earlier this week, I finally caught up with Patrick Page’s solo show All the Devils Are Here playing Off-Broadway at DR2 Theatre. Originally conceived during the dark days of the pandemic as a streamed experience, the show is in essence an overview of the evolution of Shakespeare’s roster of villains, from more prototypical, two-dimensional characters like Aaron the Moor from Titus Andronicus and even Richard in Richard Ill, to more nuanced creations like Shylock in The Merchant of Venice and lago from Othello. Thankfully, the piece has been rebooted as an in-person production, which in my mind better suits the inherent theatricality of the Bard’s eloquent language.

Page has had a long history playing bad guys onstage, particularly in big Broadway musicals. From Hades in Hadestown, to the Green Goblin in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, to the Grinch in Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, to Frollo in Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame — the list of Page’s villain portrayals is actually quite impressive. What many New Yorkers may not know is how fine of a Shakespearean actor he is (I have particularly vivid memories of his stunning performance in the title role of Coriolanus at Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC). In fact, few can rival him in terms of presentational resonance. Indeed, his impeccable articulation and richly textured bass voice — recently used to mesmerizing effect in his turn in Hadestown — casts a spell, lending his forays into character an accessibility and delicious sensuality that’s irresistibly seductive. However, grounding all of it is Page’s pursuit to pinpoint the humanity that underlies the motivations of these villains’ evil deeds.

As directed by Shakespeare specialist Simon Godwin, the live version of All the Devils Are Here is both evocative and illuminating, particularly as enhanced by the production’s excellent sound and lighting design (by Darron L. West and Stacey Derosier, respectively). As an educational tool, the piece is lucid and succinct — although I do find the show’s argument that Shakespeare single-handedly invented the full-fledged villain just a tad far-fetched. That being said, the production has captured the imagination of audiences and has proven to be a deserved hit, as indicated by its numerous extensions (the show is currently slated to run through March 31st).

RECOMMENDED

ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE
Off-Broadway, Play
DR2 Theatre
1 hour, 20 minutes (without an intermission)
Through March 31