REVIEW: CSC’s Off Balance Lear

Doing shows in repertory, especially Shakespeare, must be an incredibly daunting task to undertake.  Rehearsing two shows at once, all the costuming, technical issues, etc. is an organizational nightmare, I’m sure.  And it is both a blessing and a curse – a blessing in that it gives actors (and audiences) a chance to stretch.  It is really interesting to see the same actor in two wildly different roles, and for some it makes one appreciate even more their skills.  It can be a curse, too, though, because (at least in this case) the weaknesses of one are magnified by the successes of the other.  Whereas Shrew was so ready when it opened that the company was able to perform in a tent after two interruptions, Lear has the air of desperation that seemed to plead with the weather, “Please don’t rain!  If we stop, what will we do?”  (The look of relief and just a tinge of displeasure on some of the actors’ faces during curtain call also betrayed this sense of ill-at-ease, too.)  Similarly, where Shrew moved at a lively, brisk pace, the three-plus hour endeavor that is Lear felt even longer, a real devil of a thing when seated on the ground or in lawn chairs.  And while it may be said that the pacing of a comedy is vastly different than a tragedy (I disagree wholeheartedly), a tragedy certainly cannot have the pacing of a mudflow, either.  The delivery of the goods here is the responsibility of its director, Ian Gallanar, and with that responsibility, so must the blame be laid at his feet.  Sadly, the directorial issues of the production do not end with poor pacing.  Often the blocking is such that the actors are delivering lines upstage, or worse, directly into the ruins themselves.  I have gone on record many times to say that upstage delivery is just fine by me, but here it is to the detriment of the entire production.  It happened so often in act one that I had to review the plot synopsis in the program for clarity throughout, which is not a good thing, and I know this play.  Gallanar’s uneven direction is further compromised by the unintentional show within the show, the combat and torture scenes, masterfully choreographed by Christopher Niebling, which are vastly superior to most of the rest of the show.  Only when swords (large sticks, too) are in play, or tortures are about to be inflicted is there a wonderful sense of danger and excitement.  And most tellingly, it is during these scenes that actors involved are full to the brim with confidence – they know what they are doing so well that any unnatural care taken to deliver lines just seconds before is swept aside the most natural and realistic moments of the play.  Nowhere is this more apparent than in the performance of Chris Graybill, who mumbles unintelligibly through the entire first act (at least speak up, please).  But, get him to the scene where his Earl of Gloucester is betrayed and his eyes are realistically ripped from his head, leaving bloody holes, and Graybill is a new man!  His act two performance is so vastly improved over the first, it was as if two actors were playing the part.  He is so good in act two, in fact, that he helps bring the proceedings up a few notches all by himself.

This Lear most suffers from a poorly cast King Lear.  Frank B. Moorman seems to be lost at sea trying to get a handle on the character.  Is his Lear crazy?  Old?  Suffering from Alzheimer’s?  Drunk?  Or just stupid?  He was in trouble from the start, though, when Lear shocks the kingdom with his plan to divide the land upon his abdication.  From his performance you get zero sense that he has plotted and planned this to skew favor in the direction of his favorite daughter, Cordelia (a stunning portrayal by the lovely Valerie Fenton – more on her in a minute), little sense that he thinks less of his other two daughters, or that he knows (and Lear would) that the other two are blowing smoke up his nose with their insincere speeches of devotion.  Without this firm base, the rest becomes a game of catch up, and Moorman never really does.  Well, that’s not exactly true.  When he carries in the body of his beloved daughter, one gets the sense that he understands the pain and torment a mourning father might go through, and the truest moment of his entire performance is the look on his face as he takes his last, literally heartbroken, breath.  Mr. Moorman’s characterization issues are further exacerbated by a lack of knowing his lines.  Many, many times throughout the evening, he stumbled through lines, stepped on other actors’ lines and stopped and restarted speeches.  (Considering the miniscule size of his role in Shrew, Moorman has no real excuse here.)  With a role the size and magnitude of Lear, surely some of the rest of the cast must be looking to him for some leadership – an anchor to the production, if you will. 

And when that anchor is not there, some cast members seem to be suffering from a lack of confidence, while others seem to try to be compensating for his weaknesses.  The result further points up the unevenness of this production.  Fortunately, the poor confidence seems to have been left with the smaller supporting roles, because those in the major supporting roles are giving some of the finest performances of the year.  As Goneril and Regan, Lesley Malin and Jenny Leopold, respectively, give deliciously bone-chillingly evil performances.  The gasps of displeasure as the two actresses seduce multiple men, and the almost delight of the audience at their deaths are a testament to the power of their performances.  They are both so cunning and nasty they’d give Lady Macbeth a run for her money.  Best of all, neither resorts to mugging or scenery chewing; in fact, it is their subtlety that makes these performances terrifyingly real.  In sharp contrast, and beautifully so, is Valerie Fenton, as the fallen from favor daughter.  While her line delivery is exquisite, it is her face and demeanor that tell the real truths of her character.  The instant look of resignation and loss that crosses her eyes when she realizes that her father has banished her is heartbreaking, and the love in her eyes for that same father when she returns to save him is equally moving.  Sadly, Ms. Fenton only appears a few times (really, Mr. Shakespeare!).

As far as the supporting men go, there are several standout performances, and one that is so stunning and magnificent, I see many awards in his future.  First, Scott Graham, so deliriously funny in Shrew, here shows a dark, evil side that is equally as terrific – this man can act!  His Cornwall is the perfect, nasty compliment to Ms. Leopold’s Regan (if they can sing, they’d be a great Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett!).  As The Fool, Bob Allerman gives a masterful performance – veritable actor’s primer for how not to create a one-note character.  He aptly plays the comedian, the sidekick, and the power behind the throne.  He is a delight.  And Jacob Rothermel is pure nastiness as the conniving servant Oswald.

It is the power and interesting depth of character in the performances of the Gloucester/Edmund/Edgar subplot that actually makes this more the center of the production.  Never before have I seen a production of King Lear that may have been more aptly titled The Tragedy of Edmund and Edgar.  As Edmund, the bastard son of Gloucester, Christopher Niebling does some magnificent, riveting work.  He, too, resists the urge to go vaulting over the top, and instead shows Edmund’s manipulative skills and cunning in much more low-key, and ultimately more effective ways.  He is both disgusting and clever, and the audience hangs on the actor’s every word and action.  The real find of this production, however, is the brilliant performance of Wayne Willinger, as wronged brother Edgar.  The character goes through some incredible changes, and Willinger is more than up to the task of each and every twist and turn in the journey.  Edgar’s travails are so wonderfully layered on by the actor – no nuance in the role is left un-played – he is brilliant sad, mad, angry, joyful or triumphant.  He builds and builds, and it is, simply put, the best performance by a supporting character of the local season the entire year.  One can only hope the actor gets the accolades he is due.  Further, one hopes that at some point, perhaps when CSC gets around to Lear again, that Mr. Willinger gets the title role – I can only dream of the pleasurable night of theatre that performance would bring.

While this is a far from perfect Lear, it is most definitely worth seeing for the work of the supporting cast.  Perhaps as the play runs and the actors get more comfortable, the pacing may improve some, and the King will find his character.

PHOTO: (Front) Valerie Fenton as Cordelia and (Rear) Frank B. Moorman as Lear in CSC's King Lear.  Photo by Nancy Garwood.