STAGE THEATRE

Member Reviews

Add review/comment

• Event Name: King John, the Comedy By William Shakespeare
  "Surprisingly good"
  Review posted by: Patricia from San Jose, CA, Mar 21, 2010
  

  In the director's notes, John Ribovich suggests that this production is aimed at both audiences that love and hate Shakespeare. I belong to the latter, though several of my friends insist that it's... Expand

  In the director's notes, John Ribovich suggests that this production is aimed at both audiences that love and hate Shakespeare. I belong to the latter, though several of my friends insist that it's because I've only seen poorly performed Shakespeare. I walked into this production expecting the worst and was pleasantly surprised; it features memorably outstanding performances that compelled me to submit this review. As I watched Noel Wood (Bastard/King Phillip/Hubert the executioner) prance about the stage as three vivid characters, I kept checking my program for an asterisk next to his credit (commonly an indication of being a member of Actors' Equity Association). Mr. Wood, if you're reading this, why aren't you Equity? You certainly have the chops! This is one actor whose career I want to follow. The rest of the cast is admirable. Glenn Artero has some funny moments as the "sneak-weasel" King John, including (without giving anything away) a brief encounter with Robin Hood. Collapse

• Event Name: King John, the Comedy By William Shakespeare
  "For those who hate Shakespeare, this is a must-see"
  Review posted by: Jane from Oakland, CA, Mar 16, 2010
  

  Kudos to John Ribovich for having the gall to poke fun at the Bard with this irreverent, madcap comedy, based on Shakespeare's "The Life and Death of King John." A cast of five make up the myriad of... Expand

  Kudos to John Ribovich for having the gall to poke fun at the Bard with this irreverent, madcap comedy, based on Shakespeare's "The Life and Death of King John." A cast of five make up the myriad of characters in an impressive display of versatility. Noel Wood is a standout as the Bastard, and he delivers the only monologues in prose (the rest of the play is written entirely in verse) with panache. Eric Rhea is charming and hilarious as the child prince Arthur, among several other characters which Rhea slips in and out of with ease. Despite its irreverence, this production does make Shakespeare more accessible to the standard ear. According to the hearty laughter surrounding me in the audience, clearly this is a crowd pleaser. Collapse

more [+]