Cute and warm adaptation, Jocelyn Bio A cheerful wife Grab Shakespeare in his pants and wraps him in a noisy mix of the 21st century and the West African community of Harlem. The bard play is certainly here (the program notes tell us that Bioh maintains more than 90% of the language), but there is a very strong sense of the African performance tradition, and it feels like the vibrant thing of traditional f-talks. While this concept and implementation has certain appeal, it also poses several challenges.
Soon, one of the biggest is an accent. There is no doubt that this obviously American-born cast is doing a great job with them, but there is also the possibility that Bio can be hard to catch some of the extremely laborious language. It might bring pleasant authenticity, but it was up to coach Taylor Reynolds to test drive it for a test drive. It’s not too bad to get in the way of the conversation’s gist of the story itself, but for those hoping to be transported in flights of hearing accuracy, blurred edges can cause heartburn.
Another question here is how well Shakespeare’s farces translate into Reynolds’ views on the West African theatre tradition. For crowds who like it, it’s big, loud, and for those who are generally written in the Vaudevillians, this will be a joy. For those who are leaning towards dry and resourcefulness, this may feel a bit burdensome.
The appropriate case was Nick Rashad Burrows as Mr. Nduka Ford, who was convinced that his wife, Madame Nkech Ford, was cheating with Falstaff of Omni Emmers. Clearly, the decision here is more important, and Burrows sometimes reaches a fever pitch that is intended to be interesting, but is intended to get more stroke inspiration.
He is not the only one. As Dr. Caius, Jordan Barber enjoys his French accent, but the portrayals are more screaming than wit. And Mary Wives herself – Felicia Curry’s Nukechi and Onica Phillips, when it comes to crime partner Madame Equa Page, the performance may be full of energy and charisma, but there is little nuance in humor.
And this is really teeth Scrub. It was obviously part of the tradition to play it to the audience, and Bio considered it frankly the answer to the problems present in the original play, where everything can all be a bit similar. Between my wife and Falstaff there is too many plots and unfortunate allocations, and a lesser romantic subplot with tangles within a single set.
Unfortunately, making it more vibrant and empirical is not enough without laughing more. In fact, if Bioh set it on a harem among American residents, the real range of humor may have been high. We get a glimpse of this missed opportunity for Blue Aj, a smart, laughable rendering of the local glyfter, pistol. In some respects, this also suits the incredibly clever and inspiring sets by designer Lawrence E. Morten III.
Still, the ensemble has plenty of powerful performances. As for the man himself, Falstaff, Jacob Minh Trent certainly enjoys the role, even if he never fully offered Pepe Le Pugh chemistry to achieve a true comic liftoff. Jaben Early is a persuasive Mister Kwame page, offering fun facilities in languages, and Tyrone Stanley (stepping into Craig Wallace’s Press Night) brings some seriousness to balance the shallow things of his dignified elders.
Other standouts include Peyton Lowe delivering some of her elusive precision to Shakespeare as Anne Page, a comprehensive love interest, and Kelly Blackwell’s mommy quickly brings a warm embracing presence through the procedure.
You may not fall into laughter, but due to enthusiasm, energy and truly interesting cultural interpretations, this is fun entertainment and a popular time.
Mary Wife (★★★☆☆) Runs at 610 F St. NW at Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Herman Hall. Tickets range from $35 to $120 with discounts. Call or visit 202-547-1122 www.shakespearetheatre.org.
Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
