Shakespeare Theatre Company: Jane Anger

Jane Anger was a real woman...or we think she was--a woman; there was a Jane Anger who published feminist pamphlets in London in 1589.  Scholars believe that Jane Anger was a pseudonym.  She was a contemporary of Shakespeare.  Further, some scholars point to the ideas in her pamphlets and there timing in the pantheon of Shakespeare's plays to suggest that old Will was not only familiar with her work, but influenced by it.  All great fun, since there's no way to prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt.  After all, she wasn't the only feminist speaking out and writing their ideas down in Elizabethan London at the time Shakespeare was actively composing plays.

Here's some more fun, Talene Monahon's play, "Jane Anger."  In it she brings Jane to life in the writing room of Shakespeare's London apartment, along with an aspiring actor named Francis and Shakespeare's wife, Anne Hathaway.  It is 1606, and yet another plague is raging.  Shakespeare is a arrogant, cad with writer's block, Francis is a sycophantic, youth obsessed fan who becomes his servant, and Anne Hathaway is an overly earnest, chatterbox with suppressed violent tendencies.  To be honest, all of these characters are so multi-dimensional, another person could rightly have described any of them in other terms without contradicting my assessment--it is the nature of farce!   And this is a far-flung farce, full of fun and silliness and more than few pointed jabs at the state of misogyny in society both then and now.

This production with the same cast was first staged Off-Broadway at the New Ohio Theater last February and March to great critical acclaim.  It is clear from the get-go that the quartet have a wonderful chemistry together formed over time, and rekindled here.  Amelie Workman's Jane Anger sets the stage from the moment she first appears, addressing the audience directly and then never fully calling up that magical wall.  The other characters play it straight, until one moment over halfway through the performance when in a peek of frustration, Jane calls up the house lights and announces, "Behold!  The Audience!"  Shakespeare responds with, "Have you been watching us this whole time?"  The zaniness continues to spiral until in scene reminiscent of Monty Python, Anne Hathaway slices off one of her husband's arms.  Torrents of blood spray forth, only to have the act repeated to his other arm by Jane Anger.  Workman is commanding and compelling--the voice of modern reason trapped in an era when women had neither a voice or where thought to be reasonable.  

The author herself, Talene Monahon, plays Anne Hathaway to great comic delight.  Ryan Spahn's wit-challenged hanger-on-er is likewise funny, and endearing, and ready to grab the melodrama with abandon.  Michael Urie's partner in real life, some of his sexual physicality with Urie's Shakespeare--who swings on whatever swing is at hand--somehow felt less bawdy, but that's no doubt the linger prude in me!  And Michael Urie.  Just WOW.  I had seen him play Hamlet here back in 2018.  Not up to the challenge.  Not horrible, just lacking that compelling spark that you cannot fake with Shakespeare's leading characters.  I wanted to give him a second chance--and I was honestly blown away.  Comedy is clearly his forte.  Laugh out loud funny, fearless, easy on the eyes and easy in the skin of the character.  His every moment on the stage was just a joy.

I don't know what I expected from this play, but what I got was something else.  Something with wit, intelligence, surprises even.  Something better than I could have imaged.  On stage until January 8th.  I rate this one a go to.

William Shakespeare (Michael Urie) in one of his more frivolous moments

[This picture is actually from the NY run, I wish the DC press photos had one like it--it embodies so much of Urie's performance.]

Francis (Ryan Spahn), Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway (Talene Monahon) looking over a transcript of his newly completed "King Lear"--a total plagiarizing of Thomas Kidds "King Leir" written ten years ealier.  True or not, I don't know, I do know that most of his plays--97% were based on earlier works and ideas.

Francis, Jane Anger (Amelia Workman), Shakespeare and Anne at a moment when Anne's hold of reality may be loosing it's edge...

Anne confront Will with his monumental portrait looking on.  A lovely metaphor in the form of stage design.

Jane and Anne having a heart to heart in the wake of the death of Will and Francis.