Venue: Performance Works at Granville Island
Dates: February 6-16, 2002
Reviewer: Jane Penistan
To attend the opening night of Aaron Bushkowsky's
latest play is an exciting experience. Bushkowsky examines the
relationships between three Elizabethan dramatists, set in the climate
of political intrigue and paranoia of Elizabeth's reign.
Using playwrights and poets to promote a cause is as old as drama and
as contemporary as today's newscast. The unsolved mystery surrounding
the death of the young Christopher Marlowe continues to evoke the
fascination of scholars and lovers of crime detection today.
In this play, these and the precarious existence of royalty, courtier
and commoner alike in the 16th century are displayed. The Protestant
Church, still hard-pressed to maintain its established authority in
England and over the outlawed Catholic community's continued efforts
to regain its former power in the realm, is at the centre of one plot
of the play.
Marlowe is seduced into spying for the Protestant Church, betraying
his fellow playwright and confessed atheist lover, Thomas Kyd, and
indicting his employer Lord Strange. But why? For the thrill of a
dangerous enterprise, or just for money? These are the questions
Bushkowsky poses.
As the Protestant Church authority, Richard Baines, Donald Adams
presents a menacing appearance,which his performance does not quite
live up to, and the same is true of Jamie Norris's Ingram Frizer,
servant,torturer and assassin.
As Lord Strange, Christopher Gaze is a courtier and the aristocratic
owner of a company of players. It would seem to be an error on the
part of Bushkowsky to give Strange a scene as a performer,though this
is well-acted by Gaze. Strange's endeavours to persuade his
playwrights to use their talents to further the Catholic cause appal
his dramatists and leads to Strange's downfall and death.
As Christopher Marlowe, Mark Hildreth is young and passionate. Is it
because he finds writing for a cause distasteful or for the attraction
of being an informer that he does what he does? Dean Paul Gibson's
Thomas Kyd is a performance that could not be bettered. He is assured,
suitably dissolute but heart-breakingly disillusioned. His torture
scene is horrifying and visualises the brutality of the
Elizabethan age.
Slightly apart from the other two dramatists, William Shakespeare is
the third of the well-known writers for Lord Strange. David Mackay has
the look of all the recognised portraits of this most famous poet and
maintains a distinctive and memorable personality. His is an
intelligent and thoroughly convincing performance.
At the presentation of this play at The Playwrights Theatre Centre's
New Playrights Festival, the Mary Queen of Scots scene was outstanding.
Chapelle Jaffe gave a breathtaking performance in this role.In the
this production, however, her performance is undermined by having her
imprisoned by benches and discovered by the lifting of a large sheet.
Here the Queen is portrayed as slightly insane, which is historically
questionable and detracts from what could be again a stunning moment
in the evening.
As Queen Elizabeth,Wendy Noel lacks a regal quality. This may be a
fault oOf writing or direction. Too much striding about the stage
reduces the strength of her authority. Russell Roberts' Lord
Burghley is her noble courtier whose exquisite manners and deportment
conceal a devilishly blood-chilling talent for manipulation . Here is
the power behind the throne.
As Mrs. Eleanor Bull, Nancy Sivak tries very hard with a character
which is not well-defined. If she is a waiting woman to the queen,
as she appears to be at first, why is she renting rooms to intinerants
and waiting on them in order to earn her living? Why is she kept in
ignorance of the death of her son? These are questions the playwright
needs to address.
By presenting the play on an apron stage, Glynis Leyshon has retained
the Elizabethan character of this modern play, as have the opulent,
elegant costumes of Mara Gottler. Unfortunately, the whole production
is too busy with a multitude of scene changes involving the running in
and out of a table,repositioning of pillars and benches and a
chandelier which ascends and descends distractingly during actors'
entries and exits.
Music is recognized as a necessity in Elizabethan theatre and here it
is beautifully supplied throughout the evening, either accompanying
the action or scene bridging, by Ajineen Sagal, the violinist in the
stage balcony. But who composed and/or arranged the music? Charming
as it is, it is not Elizabethan in style. No acknowledgement of the
composer or arranger appears in the programme - a grave
omission.
Since this is the first full presentation of this exciting new play,
the flaws may be eradicated for the better enjoyment of this
fascinating exploration of an Elizabethan mystery. While there is some
rewriting for the author to do, the present dialogue is entertaining
and witty and the working out of the plots logical. Rightly the
audience is left asking some questions. The playwright may be able
answer others.
The historical mystery remains with only the reckoning of the dead
proven. This is an entertaining, intriguing and thought provoking play
which should have a great future. It is one not to be missed in its
present short run at Performance Works.
© 2002, Jane Penistan