William Shakespeare and Marvin Gaye probably wanted to work together, but what with the constraints of the time-space continuum, they never had an opportunity. The Folger Shakespeare Theatre has finally remedied this by bringing the two artists' work together posthumously in its production of "The Two Gentlemen of Verona."
In fact, the Folger generously made arrangements to include Otis Redding and Patsy Cline, among many other musicians, to create the atmosphere of Shakespeare-meets-Starbucks that permeates "Two Gentlemen." This production, like Shakespeare's text itself, plays up both the whimsicality of love and the stupid lengths people will go to in order to get it. The cast, led almost entirely by women, takes physical comedy and sharp wordplay into a modern context that can be appreciated by nearly everyone.
Shakespeare purists: This production is not for you. It is, however, for anyone who has ever wished that iambic pentameter could be more accessible to the average American high school student. Apart from the musical cues, the breaks with Elizabethan tradition are the calling card of this production of "Two Gentlemen." The costumes, designed by Kate Turner Walker, loosely belong to the inter-war period of the first half of the 20th century, home to neither Mr. Shakespeare nor Mr. Gaye. The set design, too, is a modern, brightly colored playground that is appropriately fitting for this romantic comedy.
While many of the other production elements help make "Two Gentlemen" unique, credit the deft cast with breathing new life into the 400-year-old text. Lucy Newman-Williams, Kate Eastwood Norris and Holly Twyford all take turns stealing the show, despite the fact that none of them play leads. These phenomenally talented women play 15 different roles - one scene has each play two characters at once. Sometimes they are women, sometimes they are men and sometimes Twyford is even a dog. Their changes in body movement, voice inflection and posture - with a little help from masks designed by Aaron Cromie - make all of their performances utterly believable regardless of gender or species.
The principles of "Two Gentlemen," Proteus (Ian Merrill Peakes) and Valentine (Brian Hamman) have their hands full trying to keep up with the many women around them. At times, their seriousness is eclipsed by the folly of Newman-Williams, Norris and Twyford, though much to the audience's delight. But the two men play their parts - first as friends, then enemies - very well, and have a good rhythm with one another. Their scenes together are what remind us that this is Shakespeare, not slapstick.
Proteus's betrayal of his best friend, Valentine, and his desertion of his "true love," Julia (played by his real-life wife, Karen Peakes), seem much more inappropriate in a modern context. While it is refreshing that Sylvia (Heidi Armbruster) maintains a level of contempt for Proteus's actions, she is ultimately the only one to do so. The resolution of the conflict comes too easily, and many in the audience would not be so quick to forgive Proteus for his sins. But perhaps even 400 years ago, that was Shakespeare's own commentary on the fleeting nature of love, and we should take his happy ending tongue-in-cheek rather than literally.
While tradition is nice, the Folger's production of "Two Gentlemen" proves that sometimes traditions are meant to be broken. The unconventional production yields fantastic results. The essence of Shakespeare and his satire is not lost, but enhanced by the contemporary references that serve to make the audience comfortable enough with the Elizabethan language to understand the universal themes. If "thee," "thou" and "ye" don't quite cut it for you, you will get it when Peggy Lee sings "Fever."
"Two Gentlemen" comes together in a way that seems very natural, not at all awkward or forced. It provides two hours of entertainment that is somewhere between history class and "Sponge Bob" - at once intellectually stimulating and hilarious. The synthesis of 16th and 20th centuries plays beautifully to create a work that Shakespeare himself would probably applaud. And if not old Willy, at least Marvin.
