Richard III
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Lee Huttner and Casey Caldwell
at Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport (map)
thru Sept 21 | tickets: $14-$17 | more info
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Charismatic protagonist carries an amateurish production
The Empty Theatre presents
Richard III
Review by Keith Glab
In their first full production, The Empty Theatre stays true to its name in setting Shakespeare’s Richard III on a barebones set that looks like a condemned building. The reason for this set design isn’t clear – bags of trash strewn upstage are only used to obscure dead bodies at one point and the plastic divide used to wall three sides of the stage only serves to make entrances and exits cumbersome.
Further confusion occurs in the costuming, which haphazardly blends modern dress with classical costumes; the props design, which includes anything from gramophones to worklights to iphones; and the sound design, which evokes church hymns throughout a mostly secular play. Perhaps this neophyte design team is getting pulled in different directions by an equally inexperienced pair of co-directors.
Amidst the uneven performances and often puzzling choices, Richard Traub shines as the titular Duke of Gloucester. He suitably camps it up and takes the character of Richard III to almost Falstaffian gregariousness. Yet Traub acts with such earnestness that the lack of subtlety can be forgiven. His performance is always entertaining and occasionally illuminating, as he’ll surprise with added layers of intrigue and self-reflection that elevate him from your run-of-the-mill mustache-twirling villain.
The only other cast member who can hang with Traub’s substantial stage presence is Nellie Ognacevic. Despite her portrayal of Lady Anne with a singular note of outrage, the scenes featuring her and Traub sizzle in the Athenaeum’s intimate third floor space. Nicole Bruce is also notable in her strong vocal work throughout, though she suffers from the same epidemic of not knowing what to do with her hands as most of her cohorts do. John Van Ort displays strong comedic instincts both as Prince Edward and as one of Clarence’s reluctant murderers, but he can also swallow some lines and amble awkwardly about the stage.
Richard III represents a tremendous undertaking for a fledgling theater company, so their efforts deserve some applause. But even though Traub’s engaging portrayal of the main character carries the piece along, I have a hard time recommending that audience members sit through one of Shakespeare’s longest plays when the production lacks any unified theme. Don’t be surprised if The Empty Theatre learns a great deal from this experience and mounts a few more manageable productions quite successfully in the near future.
Rating: ★★
Richard III continues through September 21st at Athenaeum Theatre’s Studio Three, 2936 N. Southport (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 7pm, Sundays 2pm. Tickets are $14-$17, and are available by phone (773-935-6875) or online through OvationTix.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at TheEmptyTheatre.com. (Running time: 3 hours 5 minutes, includes an intermission)
Photos by Emily Franklin
artists
cast
Richard Traub (Richard III), Nicole Bruce (Queen Elizabeth), Grant Niezgodski (Edward IV, Richmond), Nellie Ognacevic (Lady Anne), Cullen Rogers (Clarence), James Gasber (Rivers, Tyrrel), Andrew McClelland (Duke of Buckingham), Andy Ricci (William Catesby), Julian Stroop (Robert Brakenbury, Archbishop of York), John Van Ort (Edward, Prince of Wales, Murderer), Tom Murphy (Prince of York, Murderer)
behind the scenes
Lee Huttner, Casey Caldwell (co-directors), Arnel Sancianco (set design), Alex Palma (sound design), Meagan Beattie (costume design), Andrew Vanderbye (lighting design), Joshua Baggett (stage manager), Emily Franklin (photos)
14-0915
