SCR
adds retro feel to ‘Verona’
By Jack Schneider
On-line Forty-Niner
In
the cookie-cutter towns of Verona and Milan,
four individuals both hide and unfold their
love in South Coast Repertory’s adaptation
of William Shakespeare’s “Two Gentleman
of Verona.”
Proteus (Scott Soren) has his heart set
on Julia (Jennifer Elsie Cox). Meanwhile
Valentine (Gregory Cane), who is best friends
with Proteus, sets forth to Milan where
he meets the poised Silvia (Nealy Glenn).
Silvia not only falls for Valentine’s charm,
but for Proteus’ as well. The confusion,
doubt and overlapping of the four lovers
interweave and cross, creating a constant
turbulence of who loves who.
SCR’s adaptation was stylized to a 1950s
feel, giving the town of Verona a “Leave
it to Beaver” look while the town of Milan
possessed the swanky feel of an “Ed Sullivan
Show” episode.
The stage was surrounded by a chrome border,
resembling a classic diner look.
Each of the soliloquies given were etched
in a certain lighting, expressing upbeat
lounge music during moments of comedy, while
the dramatic ones held were displayed with
ambient melodies.
Soren’s performance was full of diction
and poise. His resemblance of Proteus matched
the look of an ideal ’50s idol, but his
presence as a Shakespearean character did
not add much depth to the stage.
Matching the charm of a cross-dressing love
interest was Elsie Cox. Her vocal pitch
was well heard, adding depth to the wonderful
language of Shakespeare. Elsie Cox expressed
great facial gestures, making her character
the most believable of the four.
Cane’s stage acting matched the comedy and
tragedy of Shakespeare. Unlike Elsie Cox’s
facial expressions, Cane lacked some expressions
that could have made the performance reach
an excellent caliber.
Playing the role of Silvia, Glenn held a
certain posture similar to Audrey Hepburn.
What was presented in posture lacked in
vocal range, as Glenn’s pronunciation of
the script fell short.
While the four main thespians were a new
addition to the repertory, the veteran actors
of SCR portrayed the outlaws, a troublesome
group resembling the look of a motorcycle
gang. The outlaws added a grunt feel to
certain parts of the play, giving the overall
performance some spice.
Two other characters that provided comic
relief in the play were Speed (Daniel T.
Parker) and Launce (Travis Vaden).
Parker provided a valuable charm to the
play as a silly servant while Vaden served
as a dopey individual, walking on stage
with a real dog. Vaden could have used a
little more diction in his performance,
such as facing the audience instead of looking
down on the stage.
“Two Gentleman of Verona” certainly had
lively sets, neat props and vibrant lighting,
but the overall acting could have been a
bit better, giving life to not only the
stage but also the dialogue.
SCR will run “Two Gentleman of Verona” until
March 30.
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