Interludes

VIEWPOINTS: Shakespeare Highs

• By drediman
• April 28, 2014
• No Comments

Dear William Shakespeare,

Happy 450th birthday, sir. Since I am not convinced I’ll make it to your half century celebration, it seems that now is the right time to take stock and come up with a list of the 25 most transcendent productions of your works. Since high school, I’ve seen more than 120 stagings of your plays, excluding film adaptations. I can also brag that I’ve seen all 38 of your plays (including the allegedly co-written “The Noble Kinsman”) in numerous cities around the world. Your plays have inspired humanity for centuries, and in the right productions with the right interpreters, they’ve allowed us to perilously and ever-so-eloquently peer into the depths of the human condition and experience. Before much ado, here’s that list (in alphabetical order).

 

1. Larry Yando in “As  You Like It”

Writers Theatre / 2008 (Chicago)

Larry Yando’s brutally frank performance as the philosophical Jaques anchored this introspective production of “As You Like It” (directed by William Brown) at the intimate Writers Theatre located in Glencoe, a quiet North Shore suburb of Chicago. This is one of the few theaters I’ve been to where I swear you can hear the actors’ thoughts. This was an autumnal, almost chilly, presentation of a work whose harsh realities sometimes get camouflaged by its momentary joys.

 

2. “The Comedy of Errors” at the Delacorte

Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park / 2013 (New York)

Speaking of joy, I’ve rarely seen a more joyous rendition of a Shakespeare play than at a performance of the Public’s 2013 summer run of “The Comedy of Errors” at the Delocorte, which starred the irresistibly charming duo of Hamish Linklater and Jesse Tyler Furguson. Shakespeare in the Park is one of New York City’s most magical traditions, and the stars aligned here (weather, production, acting) for a most enchanting evening.

 

3. Patrick Page in “Coriolanus”

Shakespeare Theatre Company / 2013 (Washington)

I’ve always respected Patrick Page’s classical acting chops, but nothing could have prepared me for his absolutely ferocious, no-holds-barred performance in the title role of “Coriolanus” at Washington’s Shakespeare Theatre Company. His performance here makes me eager in a few years’ time (I suspect in about a decade) to experience his imminent interpretation of King Lear.

 

4. Mark Rylance in “Hamlet”

Globe Theatre / 2000 (London)

This is one of the most influential performances I’ve witnessed in my life. Mark Rylance’s quicksilver, utterly in-the-moment work in “Hamlet” for the Globe (he was the artistic director of the famed company at the time, as well) rocked my world. His Hamlet teetered between insanity and clarity in a way that almost recklessly created layers within the character. It’s a high-wire piece of acting that I will never forget, and it’s likely the iconic “Hamlet” in my lifetime (despite being one of the first “Hamlet”s I’ve seen).

 

5. Guy Adkins in “Hamlet”

Court Theatre / 2002 (Chicago)

I’m still reeling from the loss (way too soon) of one of Chicago’s most generous actors, the late, great Guy Adkins. His Hamlet for the rigorous Court Theater (directed by Charles Newell) brought a pained, clear-eyed existentialism to a play that many times gets lost behind the plot’s melodramatic machinations.  What a loss for all of us, particularly Chicago theatergoers, but what a pleasure for me to have caught his sensitive, achingly vulnerable Hamlet.

 

6. David Tennant in “Hamlet”

Royal Shakespeare Company / 2008 (Stratford-upon-Avon)

David Tennant’s neurotic Hamlet for the RSC is another one for the ages. Here was a truly mad prince that still managed to exude charismatic sex appeal without having to resort to painful posing (I’m talking to you, Jude Law). Also, I don’t think I’ve seen a finer overall production of “Hamlet”, which featured gripping direction from Gregory Doran and the likes of Patrick Stewart (as Claudius) in supporting roles.

 

7. Kevin Kline in “Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2”

Lincoln Center Theatre / 2003 (New York)

Unlike his recent dismal “Macbeth”, director Jack O’Brien’s fast-paced, panoramic production of “Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2” was thrillingly effective. Particularly, his decision to stage both plays (in slightly abridged versions) in one evening made for a dramatically potent experience as it allowed the audience to get the full arc of Prince Hal’s evolution through the course of the two history plays. Kevin Kline (unrecognizable in his fat suit) made a hilariously memorable Falstaff, and Michael Hayden was just perfect as Prince Hal.

 

8. All-Female “Julius Caesar”

Donmar Warehouse at St. Ann’s Warehouse / 2013 (New York)

Phyllida Lloyd’s searing all-female Donmar production is hands-down the most exciting “Julius Caesar” I’ve ever seen yet. In fact, it’s probably one of the most passionate, raw accounts of any Shakespeare play I’ve seen, which is saying something. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the performance, constantly marveling at how these ladies out-macho’d the previous casts I’ve seen of this male-dominated play.

 

9. Ian McKellen in “King Lear”

Royal Shakespeare Company / 2007 (Stratford-upon-Avon)

Sir Ian McKellen’s Lear in Trevor Nunn’s excellent RSC production still lingers in my memory. I don’t think I’ve ever felt Lear’s fall from imperious monarch to child-like feebleness quite as keenly as I did in this performance. It’s a testament to McKellen’s utter control of his abilities, particularly as a physical actor, that made this possible. He had the Stratford-upon-Avon audience in the palm of his hands the night I saw it.

 

10. Stacy Keach in “King Lear”

Goodman Theatre / 2006 (Chicago)

Robert Falls’ decadent Eastern Europe-inspired production of “Lear” for Chicago’s Goodman Theatre conjured up a world of depravity and instability that I won’t soon forget. Kudos to Stacy Keach, who approached Lear as an unlikeable bullying dictator deserving of his fate fit Falls’ vision like a glove. I heartily applaud this bold and unconventional take on the play, one of the masterpieces of Western art.

 

11. Antony Sher in “Macbeth”

Royal Shakespeare Company at Young Vic / 2000 (London)

“Macbeth” is a dark play that takes us into the unsavory recesses of the human psyche. Director Gregory Doran’s pitch black production for the RSC took me on that journey, and I assure you, it was terrifying. Antony Sher and Harriet Walter as the Scottish king and queen, respectively, were completely in sync withe director’s vision, and the result is one of the great Shakespeare productions in all my theatergoing.

 

12. Patrick Stewart in “Macbeth”

Chichester Festival at BAM / 2008 (New York)

If Rupert Goold’s horror flick-inspired production of the Scottish Play lacked the psychological menace of Doran’s version, this production had the bravura performances of Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood to brag about. The chemistry between these two very fine actors created a horrifying portrait of ambition bred by co-dependence.

 

13. Henry Goodman in “The Merchant of Venice”

National Theatre / 2000 (London)

Trevor Nunn’s “The Merchant of Venice” for the National Theatre (he was its artistic director at the time) was one of the high points of my early exposure to Shakespeare in performance. I remember being in awe of Henry Goodman’s performance: his was a Shylock that started off as an upstanding, even charismatic, citizen that only gradually revealed his steely resolve as the play progressed. Goodman’s slow-burning approach worked. As the curtain came down, I was in a state of shock.

 

14. Al Pacino in “The Merchant of Venice”

Public Theater on Broadway / 2010 (New York)

Al Pacino took another approach: This was a Shylock that was, from the start, uncomfortable within his community and breathed fire when prompted. This unease and shame came to the forefront in an overwhelming wordless sequence in the second act that was the excruciating culmination of all that had come before (kudos to director Daniel Sullivan). This production was such a huge hit for the Public in the park that a Broadway transfer was made a reality (where I caught it).

 

15. South Asian “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

Royal Shakespeare Theatre at Chicago Shakespeare Theater / 2008 (Chicago)

If there was ever a case that Shakespeare was meant for universal exposure, it was Tim Supple’s incandescent South Asian production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” courtesy of the RSC. The production used numerous South Asian languages (as well as English) and stage techniques to re-interpret the popular Shakespeare comedy. Despite not understanding much of the dialogue, I saw this oft-performed play anew through this unlikely lens.

 

16. Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear in “Othello”

National Theatre / 2013 (screening via NT Live)

Although I did not see this Nicholas Hytner-directed National Theatre production of “Othello” live, I had a hard time not including it on my list. I would argue that Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear gave two near-definitive performances of Othello and Iago, respectively, in this intense, claustrophobic modern-dress production. Individually, they were superb, but their scenes together created fireworks.

 

17. Mary Zimmerman’s “Pericles”

Goodman Theatre / 2006 (Chicago)

Mary Zimmerman and her frequent collaborators created a fantastical world for her “Pericles” at the Goodman. Within the context of a fairy tale, Shakespeare’s epic, albeit problematic, play made total sense. Thanks to Zimmerman’s resourceful and enchanting bag of tricks, Shakespeare’s lesser known work became a truly ravishing spectacle for the eyes and soul.

 

18. Ralph Fiennes in “Richard II”

Almeida Theatre at Gainsborough Studios / 2000 (London)

Although Jonathan Kent’s well-balanced, photo-realistic production of “Richard II” for the Almeida made sensational use of the cavernous Gainsborough Studios (where Alfred Hitchcock filmed many of his works) in London’s Shoreditch neighborhood, it was Ralph Fiennes’ incredibly moving portrayal of the ineffectual king that put this one on the list. His final monologue in prison, in particular, was heartbreaking.

 

19. Kevin Spacey in “Richard III”

Old Vic at BAM / 2012 (New York)

Rarely have I seen an actor chew scenery and beg for attention quite the way Kevin Spacey did as the villainous title character in Sam Mendes’s “Richard III”. And he did it for three-and-a-half hours per performance. You could not help but be further seduced by Spacey’s charms as he dispatched his enemies one by one. I guess a good seducer is the sign of a good Richard III, and I don’t think I’ve seen a more seductive one than Kevin Spacey’s.

 

20. Ivo van Hove’s “Roman Tragedies” (includes Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, and Antony and Cleopatra)

Toneelgroep Amsterdam at BAM / 2012 (New York)

Ivo van Hove’s “Roman Tragedies” was an audacious study on how we experience history, particularly in the modern age. By pairing “Coriolanus”, “Julius Caesar”, and “Antony and Cleopatra” into one epic intermission-less account (the experiment totaled six hours in duration) of a stretch of Roman history, you really got a sense of time churning and people and events coming and going (Cleopatra as a bleep on the timeline? No way!). As part of the audience, you were invited to view the action (i.e., history) from whatever vantage you desired: From on stage with the actors to out in in the the lobby where you could watch the proceedings via television. It was wild, and wholly unforgettable.

 

21. Henry VI, Parts 1, 2, and 3 … or “Rose Rage”

Chicago Shakespeare Theatre / 2003 (Chicago)

Another marathon account of Shakespeare’s history plays was “Rose Rage”, in which director Edward Hall clumped together the three parts of “Henry VI” into a five-and-a-half evening of theater for the Chicago Shakespeare. As with the productions of “Henry IV” and “Roman Tragedies” discussed above, the whole again became greater than the sum of its parts, despite (or maybe partly because of) the length. I’ve never seen the Chicago Shakespeare actors more committed than in this thrilling adventure, one of the crown jewels in the theater’s lustrous history.

 

22. Christopher Plummer in “The Tempest”

Stratford Festival / 2010 (Ontario)

In the twilight stages of an actor’s career, what better Shakespearian roles can one tackle than Lear and Prospero? Alas, I missed Christopher Plummer’s Lear, but I’m happy to report that he did not disappoint as Prospero in Des McAnuff’s refreshingly straightforward production of “The Tempest” at the Stratford Festival. Given his lengthy, fabled career, Plummer’s account of Prospero’s final soliloquy was one of the most moving things I’ve seen at the famed Shakespeare festival.

 

23. Frank Galati in “The Tempest”

Steppenwolf Theatre / 2009 (Chicago)

In the Steppenwolf’s one-and-only foray into the works of Shakespeare, they went to the very end of the canon and staged a magical production of “The Tempest” directed by Tina Landau. In his own right, Frank Galati is as much of a stage legend as Christopher Plummer. Known primarily as a director (and sometimes actor), Galati’s casting as Prospero was a brilliant stroke of parallel association. Indeed, in many ways, Prospero himself “directs” the proceedings on his island.

 

24. Mark Rylance in “Twelfth Night”

Globe Theatre on Broadway / 2013 (New York)

What can be said that hasn’t already been said? Despite technically being a supporting role, Mark Rylance’s vivacious, cathartic performance as Olivia in the Globe’s production of “Twelfth Night” stole the show and has already gone down as one the great Shakespearian portrayals in the modern era. Those lucky enough to have caught his daringly neurotic performance will be talking about it for decades to come. I’m lucky to have caught him three times in this!

 

25. A moving “The Winter’s Tale”

Stratford Festival / 2010 (Ontario)

One of the finest productions I’ve seen at the Stratford Festival was this quietly moving production of “The Winter’s Tale”. Ben Carlson is one of North America’s top Shakespearian actors, and I don’t think I’ve seen him in better form than he was here (as Leontes). The play’s conclusion, as staged in this gimmick-free production, remains one of the most unadulteratedly redemptive scenes I have sat through. Suffice to say, there was not a dry eye in the house.

 

Thank you,

Adrian Dimanlig