Review: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT at The Old Globe

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, A COMEDY playing at The Old Globe through August 13th turns this Russian tragedy on its head and re-imagines it as a light-hearted, high-energy, and zany comedy.

Co-written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen this show follows in the bringing the laughs to classic literature footsteps of  the Old Globes holiday show “Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show.” Taking a similar approach this show has a small but mighty cast and brings the story, the characters, and the main themes to the stage in 90- minutes with similar success.  With many additional jokes and references to Russian historical figures and literary characters, you don’t need to know the book or history to get the joke.

Directed by Greenberg this adaption is fast, fluid, and fun.  Which admittedly, are not words ever associated with this Dostoevsy classic in the past.  He utilizes the entire theatre and his actor's physicality as characters appear and disappear from multiple entrances, running to catch and ride a trolley, and more. 

Raskolnikov (Nik Walker) has just graduated law school, and now he is eager to start his job at the prestigious law firm of Khrushchev, Stalin, and Stalin,  This will allow him to help pay for the doctor for his ailing mother, liberate his father from a Siberian gulag, and allow his sister to marry for love instead of money.  All Raskolnikov needs to do is first go get his diploma from the school's bursar.  

 When the bursar denies him the diploma based on an overdue book yet, which he needs to return and pay a hefty fine, or pay a slightly less hefty bribe, neither of which he can afford, he sees all of his future plans fading away. Raskolnikov wrote his thesis on extraordinary men, and how they are allowed to think outside the box, and commit actions ordinary men cannot not, because their actions are ultimately for the greater good. As he contemplates how to get his diploma, and after a few shots of Absinthe, he realizes that he needs to take inspiration from his paper and do what must be done no matter how unsavory.

After making a few he very quickly spirals under the guilt and paranoia, the moral questions of the novel become more pronounced, but never falters in its pace.

Walker is charismatic and full of conviction as Raskolnikov, and easily transitions from comedy to drama as required.  The rest of the cast includes Vincent Randazzo, Juliet Brett, Stephanie Gibson, and Orville Mendoza who play the rest of the supporting characters.

Mendoza is very funny as the ailing mother and the smug investigator, while Brett is sweet as Sister Dunya and unhelpful as a law firm receptionist.  Gibson is strong and sympathetic as Sonya, while Randazzo is sweet and loyal as Dimitri, and who will have you rooting for his friendship with a mouse.

The scenic design by Wilson Chin allows the performers to set a scene quickly without losing a beat in the performance, and it is complemented by the lighting design by Amanda Ziev and the sound design by Lindsay Jones.  Costumes by Alejo Wietti are character-defining, while also allowing for quick changes on and off stage without hindering any of the antics.

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT turns Dostoevsky’s classic into a delight filled with laughter without losing the morality tale at the center.

How to Get Tickets 

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT is playing at The Old Globe through August 20th.  The performance schedule is Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tickets and showtime information is available online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE (234-5623), or in person at The Old Globe’s Box Office in Balboa Park. 

Photo credit: (from left) Juliet Brett, Orville Mendoza, Nik Walker, Vincent Randazzo, and Stephanie Gibson -Photo by Jim Cox.

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