With the cold-blooded tragedy that is “Richard III,” during its annual tradition of Free Shakespeare in the Park, Gamut Theatre delivers again on its 30-year mission to tell stories in new and exciting ways. Blending true crime with scandalous royal watching, audiences receive a bonus in learning about a treacherous piece of royal history we might have otherwise just skimmed over during history class.
Directed by Jeff Luttermoser, Gamut Theatre’s cast of “Richard III” brings us a sinister, true account of Richard III’s assassinations of the reigning patriarchy and subsequent power seizure in the late 15th century. While some dusty tomes tell a kinder story of his killing spree as a means to an end, bringing peace to England, we’re catching Richard during his villainous anti-hero period. It’s by this dark slice of his life that the literary world will best remember him.
If you’re at all concerned that you won’t pick up the story from the actors reciting traditional Shakespearean dialogue, worry not. Not all who wander are lost. There are plenty of context clues that lay the groundwork for the story and help you figure out who’s who, along with time in between to process it. Additionally, the program includes a family tree, a plot synopsis, and a little comic strip, all which summarize with the level of detail you prefer.
Gamut’s talented cast hangs flesh on the bones of Will’s script to form rich, complex characters, boiling all the play’s elements together to create a mood that is foreboding and a little eerie, especially while the audience is simultaneously immersed against a sunset and a darkening sky.
If you like feeling a little creeped out when you’re outdoors in public with a bunch of strangers, then close your eyes and absorb the menacing organ music and the threatening sound effects of a sword being drawn. Then open them to watch ghosts drift by blue lantern light. Notice when the ghosts appear onstage, and what happens after they do. Then observe the corpses moving themselves offstage, as if being pulled up by strings and puppetted away. Bravo to all the actors who had me pulling my covers up a little tighter the night I watched this play.
Out of all the onstage murders, which range somewhere in the double-digits, it’s hard to pick my favorite, and it’s equally difficult to tell you who performed them without inserting a spoiler. All death scenes were well done and convincing, with characters meeting violent ends. But here are some highlights I can share.
Tom Weaver brings a dark, tyrannical energy to Richard III, a spare heir ruthlessly and violently murdering everyone in front of him in line for the throne, bragging about his exploits in his many soliloquies with just a hint of conscience that kicks in way too late. Weaver injects a self-satisfied and arrogant ease into his character, almost charming. He glides across the stage as he owns it, while I imagine the factual Richard III probably didn’t glide or charm as well due to his hunchback.
Cursing Richard every chance she got, the widow Margaret (Karen Ruch) is a minor role, but Ruch plays her with such intensity and passion, she commands the stage every time she’s on it. Ruch matches Weaver’s raging energy, bringing out the element of foreboding that sets the stage for the gory events to come. Although the widow is supposed to be seen as a victim, she leaves the impression that she’s fiercely stronger than that.
It’s often said of Englanders, perhaps stereotypically, that they keep a stiff upper lip. With Shakespeare brushing over most royal family affection for each other, many of the characters who should probably look a little sad when their father, son, or brother dies, well… don’t. After King Edward IV’s murder, only his wife Elizabeth (Amber Mann) seems to mourn him. Then she makes it her job to carry the sadness bucket for the entire cast. Starting out as the sole weeper in Act One, Mann amps the tension from sadness to anger, finding righteous indignation in the depths of her character by Act Two.
Offering the only comic relief, Prince York (Logan McDonnell) is a cheeky young sort, likely dealing with his sadness by cutting up. His character is a light contrast to his main scene partners: his tough grandmother Duchess of York (Kelli Kauterman) and his more serious brother Prince Edward (Daniel Hutchins). There isn’t much about this plot that is light, but the dynamic between them lightens the tension, if only temporarily.
With portions of Reservoir Park under renovation, some of the thoroughfares are blocked, so leave yourself enough time to find parking and walk to the Levitt Pavilion bandshell, looking fresh as ever from its recent makeover. Be sure to bring your own chairs and blankets, because it gets slightly chilly after the winter of our discontent. So that you don’t have a summer of discontent, bring insect repellant, sunscreen and rain gear, just in case. Oh, and don’t forget money and canned goods for the donations basket.
“Richard III” runs June 2 to 17, Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., weather pending. Because it’s a free event, no tickets are required. More information is available at www.gamuttheatre.org/fsip.
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