Play review
Shakespeare festival's 'King Lear' a hit
By Cary Ginell soundthink@aol.com

Photo Courtesy of Brian Stethem TRUEST DAUGHTER- King Lear (John Slade) bemoans the fate of his daughter Cordelia (Meaghan Boeing) in the Kingsmen Shakespeare Company's production of Shakespeare's tragedy "King Lear" at California Lutheran University recently.

It is hard to believe that the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival has been around for 11 years, providing Conejo Valley drama fans the opportunity to see low-cost, professional productions of the works of William Shakespeare each summer. This year's offerings featured two of the Bard's most dissimilar plays- the early comedy "Two Gentlemen of Verona" and, in last Sunday's performance, the classic tragedy "King Lear," which is directed by the festival's co-founder and CLU theater arts professor, Michael Arndt.

Seeing "King Lear" in the idyllic setting of picturesque Kingsmen Park on the campus of California Lutheran University is a unique experience. Set in a glen at the bottom of a sloping grassy hillside, the amphitheater resembles a primitive, small-scale version of the Hollywood Bowl.

The audience begins to arrive in the late afternoon; many bring picnic dinners. Since there are no seats, lowslung chairs are recommended. However, when the play begins, many recline on blankets or cushions while watching the show.

Since Kingsmen Park is an outdoor venue, entrances and exits come from every angle, not just on stage. Invading armies march across a small offstage bridge, while other actors make their way down the hillside among the patrons, with others receding on the opposite side.

The impressive cast includes many members of Actors Equity and the Screen Actors Guild, as well as drama students from colleges around the country, each with a diverse list of credits.

John Slade took on the challenging role of Lear. He's played Shakespearean roles since he was a teenager. Slade's portrayal of the tragically proud yet failing Lear requires one to walk an acting tightrope, subtly crossing lines between egodriven vindictiveness, kindness, loyalty, arrogance and increasing madness, something akin to a combination of Julius Caesar and Willy Loman.

The range of emotions required of this character is one of the greatest challenges in all of Shakespeare, and Slade showed a great deal of sensitivity in his sympathetic portrayal.

The story deals with Lear's wish to divide his vast territorial assets among his three daughters, provided each expresses in words their love for him. While daughters Goneril and Regan provide exaggerated praise to their father, the third and most adoring daughter, Cordelia, chooses not to do so in words, preferring the sufficiency of her past actions. The furious king not only disowns her but also banishes her from the court.

J.J. Rodgers and Jane Longenecker brilliantly portray the haughty, power-mad Goneril and Regan. In the lesser role of Cordelia, who is absent for all but the beginning and end of the play, Meaghan Boeing is as sweet and loyal as her sisters are greedy.

The parallel story of the Earl of Gloucester, his noble son Edgar and treacherous stepson Edmond, features three more powerful actors. Robert Nairn gives a sympathetic performance as the aging Earl, whose eyes are gouged out by Goneril's henchmen in a particularly wrenching scene. As Edmond, Daniel Billet plays his part with crafty viciousness, while Travis Brazil's Edgar is marvelous as his character makes the conscious transition from betrayed son to his alter ego, the insane, indigent Poor Tom.

The company performs on a two-tiered stage similar in design to those used by Shakespeare 400 years ago. Howard Schmitt's costume design is elegant and time appropriate; the sword fights feature weapons of real metal, which make those scenes as realistic as any production with a full-scale budget.

The musical score, composed by Ryan Poulson, is more than appropriate for the medieval time the action supposedly takes place. A continuing challenge for the sound engineers is the incessant croaking of the CLU frog population, which is eerily amplified by the onstage microphones.

As this year's festival draws to a close, we should consider ourselves fortunate to have such a distinguished repertory company in residence at CLU. In addition to their annual festival, the nonprofit organization also coordinates apprentice programs for aspiring Shakespearean actors as well as programs for local schools and summer theater camps.

For more information, visit www.kingsmenshakespeare.org.