Strangulations, decapitations and stabbings. Infidelity, revenge and betrayal.
It’s not another “reality television” series gone awry — but rather, the delicious adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry VI trilogy by Michael Flachmann, esteemed dramaturg of the Utah Shakespearean Festival since 1986.
Heads were rolling at the Mesa Arts Center on Friday as Lizabeth and I attended a world-premiere production of “Blood Royal,” directed by Jared Sakren, artistic director of the Southwest Shakespeare Company (also director and sound designer for this production).
“There are 27 moments of on-stage violence,” Sakren quipped during a cast/creative team “talkback” with audience members after Friday’s opening night performance. But who’s counting?
Apparently Sakren, whose research indicates that this is “four times what you get in Romeo and Juliet.” Sakren also notes that there are 45 major scenes — which explains the show’s length of more than three hours (there’s a single intermission). Still, there’s never a dull moment.
Flachmann describes the work as “sprawling and episodic,” noting that 22 actors cover 76 roles (closer to 100 if you add in all those soldiers and such). It’s seamless from the audience perspective, but not so much for the cast and technical team backstage.
“My goal,” said one of the young male actors, “was to get into character, find a sword and get on stage without being impaled.” The piece features plenty of sword fights — something I imagine many boys would enjoy seeing, assuming mom and dad are okay with the play’s many depictions of death (including Joan of Arc being burned at the stake).
It seems a multitude of men wish to be king — a deadly desire that rarely ends well. All around them swirl a myriad of mischief-makers, from high-ranking religious figures to women with their own agendas.
Their sons, of course, fare no better fate. Two scenes we found particularly moving involved parents mourning their children’s demise. Randy Messersmith (co-founder of SSC) delivered a hard-driving performance as the Duke of York, a man made to mourn over the body of his murdered son before meeting his own violent end.
Lana Buss plays Margaret, who marries the way-beyond-wimpy King Henry VI (played by Larry Stone) for all the wrong reasons, and does justice to Shakespeare’s crafting of women as strong and smart — traits at once their gift and their undoing.
We also enjoyed the performances of Nicole Belit (Chorus/John (the son) Talbot/Monkfiend/Asnath/Ensemble) and Eric Schoen (Soldier/Suffolk/Ensemble), who launched his own theater company — Class 6 Theatre — just last year in the Valley.
As the proud mother of an SSC wench (Lizabeth recently entered the company’s “Wenches and Knaves” education program — which means I’ll soon be sewing Shakespearean garb), I was delighted to see several young cast members.
Ryan Janko (Soldier/Ensemble/Prince Edward) is a college freshman from Gilbert appearing in his fourth SSC production. Ezekiel Hill (Soldier/Aldecon/Lord/Murderer/Norfolk/Cade/Ensemble) is a 19-year-old student at Mesa Community College recently seen as “The Beast” in an East Valley Children’s Theatre production of “The Enchantment of Beauty and the Beast.”
The youngest cast member is Tristan Foster (Edmund (Rutland)/Soldier/Ensemble), a 16-year-old making his professional acting debut in “Blood Royal.” Foster competes and performs with the Mesa Caledonian Pipe Band (a haunting bagpipe tune opens the show), and admits to playing video games and annoying his younger siblings on occasion.
So how do you take three historical Shakespeare works and turn them into a single production both clear and compelling? Flachmann explained his process during the talkback: “I took out what I didn’t like and this is what was left.” Editing for the stage — now I get it.
But what’s the relevance for today’s audiences? Sakren’s “Director’s Notes” for the program share the George Santayana quote made famous by Winston Churchill: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
“The technology has changed,” writes Sakren, “but not the essential nature of man, or his politics.”
–Lynn
Note: Visit the Southwest Shakespeare Company online to learn more about this season’s offerings (“Blood Royal” runs through Sept 25) and special opportunities including “Flachmann Seminars” with Michael Flachmann. Click here to learn about “Knave” opportunities for boys.
Coming up: Phoenix Symphony for families and educators, Community college art offerings
