Review: ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL at Stratford Festival Explores Murky Moral Territory with Passion and Delight

For the sixth time in the Stratford Festival's history, a production of ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL is being mounted. It is fittingly being performed at the brand new Tom Patterson Theatre alongside RICHARD III. This is relevant because these were the two plays that launched the inaugural season of the Stratford Festival, 70 years ago. This current production delves into this head-scratcher of moral uncertainties with superb performances by all.

Considered one of Shakespeare's 'Problem Plays,' this play is particularly fascinating because the way it is interpreted and received by those in at as well as the audience, will inevitably reflect the values and norms and sense of humour of the times. Director Scott Wentworth speaks to this in his Director's notes, where he also comments on the riddle that is this play-calling it "hysterically sad and heartbreakingly funny". What's interesting is that today's audiences are perhaps more familiar than ever with media that elicits complex emotions. It is more and more rare for a tv show or movie to simply be a comedy or drama, and some of the most popular media today are the shows that allow audiences to live in the cognitive dissonance of being entertained by morally ambiguous characters and situations.

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL tells the story of Helen, a poor physician's daughter who is in love with Bertam, Count of Rossillion and devises a plan to gain favour in the King's eyes to elevate her status so that she can marry him. When this plan technically works, but leaves Bertram unhappy with their arrangement and willing to run away to fight in the Florentine war in order to escape his new wife. After processing the initial heartbreak, Helen then devises an even more complicated plan to convince him to participate in their marriage.

Something I learned while chatting with a friend who is only somewhat familiar with Shakespeare's canon, is that if you try to describe the full plot of ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL to the uninitiated, it sounds like an off-the-wall comedy. What makes it particularly interesting is that it is not played this way. Although there are some characters and moments that are primarily comedic, the most absurd plot points are in fact played very earnestly. Part of the humour of this play is the more macro-level challenge of you as an audience member figuring out who you are even rooting for. Both the characters of Helen and Bertam (played by Jessica B. Hill and Jordin Hall, respectively) make decisions and conduct themselves in ways that would range from not socially acceptable, to morally ambiguous, to downright deplorable in society today. For example, Helen's trick on Bertam challenges the very idea of consent-And yet, by most accounts, Helen is the more sympathetic character of the two. The final resolution of the play has all issues wrapped up quite well and on the surface, Helen's mantra of 'All's well that Ends Well' seems apt. But just below the surface, no one is truly happy and many a person has been traumatized or hurt in order for Helen to achieve her goal.

There is a unique humour to something being utterly absurd and ridiculous and that fact never being acknowledged - not even with a subtle wink to the crowd. Perhaps Helen and Bertram do not yet know that they are likely doomed to be incredibly unhappy together - but we in the audience are left fairly certain that "all" is not nearly as "well" as the characters may be trying to convince themselves it is.

Interestingly, there is a scene earlier in the play where Helen greets suitors in very similar style to what one might see on The Bachelorette-A reality tv show that can often become just as ridiculous and absurd as Bertram and Helen's story turns out to be.

The company here is very strong. Hill and Hall bring nuance and duality to their complex characters, Seana McKenna is great as the Countess of Rossillion, Bertram's mother, who spends most of the play annoyed with her son and protective of Helen. Also great is the hilarious Rylan Wilkie as Bertram's less-than-moral companion and confidante, Parolles, who finds himself the deserving victim of another trick.

Once again, this writer was incredibly impressed with the new Tom Patterson Theatre. The staging here was well done and there is not a bad seat in that theatre. This space will certainly be the place to go for excellent Shakespearean performances for decades to come and I for one, am thrilled.

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL continues in Repertory at the Tom Patterson Theatre until October 29th.

Photo Credit: David Hou

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