THE WINTER’S TALE


Director Elizabeth Swain ups the Act One drama, then enhances the Act Two froth in Antaeus Theatre Company’s splendidly performed 21st-century staging of William Shakespeare’s still-fresh-at-401 The Winter’s Tale.

And drama there is aplenty when the green-eyed monster rears its ugly head in the person of King Leontes of Sicily (Adam J. Smith), who gets it into his jealous noggin that his stunner of a wife Hermione (Kaci Hamilton) has been canoodling in not-so-secret with his childhood chum King Polixenes of Bohemia (Ned Mochel), and worse still, that the child Hermione is expecting seems likely to look a lot more like Polixenes than its actual dad.

And though the lady doth protest Leontes’ accusations (too much or too little, depending on whom you ask), having spotted his wife and bestie “whispering, leaning cheek to cheek, meeting noses, and kissing with inside lip” in full public view, Leontes is not to be dissuaded from his unfounded beliefs, which is why he orders Lord Camilo (Christopher Cappiello) to poison Polixenes to death.

Fortunately for the latter, Camilo opts instead to help Leontes’ ex-bff escape from Sicily to the safety of Bohemia.

Hermione, unfortunately, fares considerably less well when she gives birth in prison to a child whom her husband not only refuses to recognize as his own, he proceeds to order Antigonus (Brian Kim McCormick), husband of Hermione’s loyal chum Paulina (Ann Noble), to take the female newborn, “bear it to some remote and desert place,” and leave it there without more mercy, to its own protection.”

And things only go downhill from here, especially where Leontes’ son Mamillius (Sabrina J. Liu) is concerned, that is until sixteen years later, the King’s now post-pubescent daughter Perdita (Shannon Lee Clair), having been lovingly raised by the Old Shepherd (Paul Eiding) who found her abandoned in the midst of nowhere, falls head over heels for none other than Polixenes’ handsome son Florizel (Peter Mendoza).

Also figuring in The Winter’s Tale’s considerably more comedic second act are Old Shepherd’s dolt of a son, appropriately dubbed Young Shepherd (Conlan Ledwith); Mopsa (Catia Ojeda) and Dorcas (Claire Simba), a couple of nubile shepherdesses both in love with Young Shepherd; and wily vagabond pickpocket/peddler (and master of disguises) Autolycus (JD Cullum).

All of this adds up to the meatiest and tastiest of Shakespearean platters, served up on Frederica Nascimento’s spare, curtain-backed set, vividly lit by Vickie J. Scott, and performed by a crème-de-la-crème cast composed of talented Antaeus Theatre staples and more than a few gifted newbies.

Smith commands Act One with his seething-with-jealousy-and-rage Leontes, Mochel’s Polixenes makes for the most dashing of rivals, Hamilton is patrician perfection as Hermione (and her trial scene is as harrowing as trial scenes get), and the role of Paulina offers further evidence that there’s no fierier Antaeus star than Noble.

Cullum steals every single scene he’s in as the craftiest and crookedest of schemers, his Yiddish-Italian accent (at least that’s how it sounded to me) proving the most guaranteed of laugh-getters, and Ledwith comes in a close second in the comedy department as a Young Shepherd as adorable as he is empty-headed.

Supporting players don’t get any finer than Cappiello Eiding, Liu, McCormick, Ojeda, and Simba in two or more roles each, and young romantic couples don’t get any more awwww-worthy than Medoza’s dreamboat of a Florizel and Clair’s enchanting, piquant Perdita.

And lest I forget, Annie Yee choreographs dance sequences that range from courtly to jubilant and Cullum sings and strums with the best of them to the tuneful melodies of composer Donna Cribari.

Carolyn Mazuca’s stately-meets-countrified array of costumes, Jeff Gardner’s alternately dramatic and festive sound design, and Aaron Lyons’ variety of props (including a couple of baskets put to very different use) are Grade-A all the way.

Kaite Brandt is assistant director and production dramaturg. Karen Osborne is production stage manager and Casey Collaso is assistant stage manager. Mochel is fight captain and Ojeda is dance captain.

From its elegantly choreographed opening sequence to its inspired final fade to black, The Winter’s Tale is director Elizabeth Swain and Antaeus Theatre Company at their Shakespearean best. Better still, you don’t have to be a Bard lover to find yourself both entertained and enthralled.

Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center, 110 East Broadway, Glendale.
www.Antaeus.org

–Steven Stanley
March 1, 2024
Photos: Jenny Graham

Visit www.theatreinla.com/nowplayingrs.php for a review roundup of what’s now playing in theaters around Los Angeles.

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