Folger's Shakespeare Theatre: The Winter's Tale

 Given that the Folgers Shakespeare Library sits on one of the most expensive plots of land in America (just behind the Library of Congress behind the  U. S. Capitol and kitty-corner to the U. S. Supreme Court, AND, given that its building is one of the most icon art deco designs in Washington, D.C., when it came time to undertake a humongous renovation they had to think creatively.  They couldn't go left.  They couldn't go right.  They could hardly go up.  So, where did they go?  Down!

A artist's rendering the new East Entrance.

They've excavated below to create and expand even to the point of recasting the entrances to subterranean walls of glass facing a patio and sloping pathway encircling a gorgeous butterfly garden.  Dormant now, but brimming with possibilities.  "The Winter's Tale" is the inaugural production.  How you ever seen it?  I had not.  I had not even bothered to read it or any cliff notes.  So the story was new to me as I watched it for the first time.

In a nutshell, it's about two kings, who are or consider one another brothers.  The King of Bohemia is visiting the King of Sicilia.  They are inseparable until suddenly the King of Sicilia, Leontes, becomes convinced that his "brother," Polixenes, the king of Bohemia is doing the nasty with his once virtuous wife, Hermione.  Much of the first half is consumed by Leontes spiraling into madness over it.  He plots to have Polixenes assassinated and tasks his servant, Camillo, with the deed.  But Camillo thinks the king is off his rocker and warns Polixenes instead escaping to Bohemia with him and changing his allegiances.  Meanwhile, Hermoine, very much pregnant is thrown in prison where she gives birth to a daughter (they already have a son).  With no one left to punish, Leontes sets out to burn his newborn daughter, whom he thinks is a bastard child and kill Hermoine.  A nobleman named Antigonus implores Leontes to have mercy on the baby is given permission to take it away and abandon it on some far foreign shore.  A little while back, Leontes sent of to Apollo the seer for confirmation of his twisted ideas.  Just as he is about to put Hermoine to death, the servant returns with the seer's response.  It is read aloud in the court and all of Leontes' ideas are called false, suddenly another servant arrives to announce that his now only child, the boy Mamillus has died by mysterious causes.  Leontes cries out that it is Apollo punishing him, and Hermione collapses and dies, too.

And this is a Comedy?

In the second act much of what has gone wrong is made right.  There are a few laughs--we've moved the action from Sicilia to Bohemia.  A buffoonish, peddler, pic-pocket is introduced as well as poor shepherd and his son, Clown <-- that's his son's name find the baby and raise her.  She falls in love with Florizel, Polixenes' son.  One thing leads to another and "All's Well That Ends Well." as they say!

Reza Salazar from a guest role on Law & Order
 in 2007's episode "The Melting Pot".

Because in some ways the two halves feel like separate plays, with their own, unique characters, most of the actors can double-up roles.  I was thrilled to see some familiar names among the cast.  One of my all time favorite Shakespearean actors in the DMV, Kate Eastwood Norris took on the roles of Paulina, a Sicilian noblewoman, in the first act, and Dorcas, a love-struck shepherdess, in the second and was simply brilliant in both!  I've seen Cody Nickell in various roles over the years, his portrayal of Antony in "Antony and Cleopatra" was one of the only bright spots!  As Camillo, he was okay.  Maybe an off day in a not very remarkable role.  Drew Kopas who is an actor with a lot of energy brought that to bear as Polixenes in the first half.  Reappearing in the second, his shine faded a little.  And there were newcomers and less familiar folk.  Stephen Patrick Martin who played a convincing and endearing Antigonus in the first act, before being eaten by a bear!, turned around and embodied the role of the Shepherd with gusto and great comedic timing.  Likewise, Nicholas Gerwitz as the overly zealous Gaoler in the first act, demonstrated real comic genius as Clown, the Shepard's son in the second.  Two more shout outs: 1) Habi Tabbal as Leonites and his descent into blind jealousy.  It was intense, mesmerizing, even a little disturbing, but he ran the rabbit threw from tail to head without ever looking back. His performance was the highlight of the first half.  2) Reza Salazar as the swindling peddler, Autolycus.  He began the second act with a lute-like instrument leading the audience in a call and response madrigal that he then referenced throughout the second act to great effect and laughter.  Although he was new to the DMV, he looked familiar to me--like I knew from some younger version of himself.  When I read his bio, it made sense.  Among my many obsessions it would be fair to say that the original Law & Order ranks right up there.  

The costume were fine, the staging functional and solid, the lighting seamless...save for the light bulb meant to illuminate the two rows of seats were I sat under the rear balcony, stage left.  Tens of millions of dollars and 3+ years of renovations and you don't replace a light bulb?  My biggest complaint! 

The opening scene is Birthday Party for Mamillus who has just turned 8!

Hermione (Antoinette Crowe-Legacy) and Polixenes (Drew Kopas) share a friendly conversation at the party, and thus the die is cast...

Leontes (Hadi Tabbal) begins to succumb to his jealous heart and his son, Mamillus (Richard Bradford--not present in the production I saw.  Minors are played by two actors who switch off performances)

Leontes entreats Camillo (Cody Nickell) to poison Polixenes

The time has come to execute Hermione, and she pleads her innocence even as she refuses to beg for a different fate.  [L-R: Lady-in-waiting (Sabrina Lynn Sawyer), Antigonus (Stephen Patrick Martin), Leontes (Hadi Tabbal), Hermoine (Antoinette Crowe-Legacy) and Nicholas Gerwitz (Gaoler)

Act II opens with Time (Clarence Michael Payne, who also played Mamillus in the production I saw) recapping the events of the first half and setting the stage for a 15 year jump into the future.

Autolycus (Reza Salazar)

Camillo (Cody Nickell) and Polixenes (Drew Kopas) don disguises as sheep shearers to spy on the Shepherd (Stephen Patrick Martin) and the Prince Florizel to see he is up to

Florizel (Jonathan Del Palmer) is up to Perdita (Kayleandra White) and they in love!