The Duchess of Malfi
Written by John Webster
Directed by Brandon Bruce
at Strawdog Theatre, 3829 N. Broadway (map)
thru May 26 | tickets: $28 | more info
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Revenge tragedy solid but overthought
Strawdog Theatre presents
The Duchess of Malfi
Review by Lauren Whalen
Interpreting a classical text is not for the faint of heart or brain. Indeed, Strawdog Theatre Company’s The Duchess of Malfi shows nothing but thought, from the production’s meticulous three-quarter staging to its artful masks and props. And maybe that’s the issue: too much thought, like an overdose of anything good, can result in an air of calculation and lack of organic spontaneity. Though it boasts beautiful production values and skilled performances, The Duchess of Malfi is an example of over-analysis gone over the top.
Director Brandon Bruce, who co-adapted the text with Scarfuto, has employed a very precise thought process with Duchess. Besides thoughtfully staging the show to the exact specifications of Strawdog’s studio space, Bruce has assembled a crack production team. With its glorious faux-marble floor and draping white cloths, Joe Schermoly’s set design is both bare bones and elaborate, conveying palatial estates and prison cells with artistic aplomb. Aly Renee Amidei’s masks are haunting works of art and her makeup design casts a sinister pallor over each character. Mike Przygoda’s sound design relies on the actors themselves providing live accompaniment, keeping the audience completely in the moment. And Joanna Melville’s costume design consists of rich velvets and stark white gowns (though a very noticeable zipper seems out of place in the 16th-century setting).
Bruce’s direction of the cast ranges from smartly subtle to completely exaggerated, leading to an unfortunate inconsistency. The male chorus members especially are too loud and broad in their delivery and gestures, and clearly talented actors are reduced to cartoons. When it comes to Taflan’s Ferdinand, is it really necessary to have him loudly kiss the Duchess’ hand every time he sees her? Walsh’s Cardinal has the opposite problem: his constant stoicism grows dull.
Thankfully, other actors fare better. Dunn’s Antonio is a genuinely devoted individual in a sticky situation, and invites gentle empathy. Cate Davison is at once scary and sexy as the sole female chorus member, nimbly portraying several roles in the course of the play. McKenzie Chinn quietly shines as the Cardinal’s mistress Julia, and Lindsey Dorcus provides comic relief as Cariola, the Duchess’ fiercely loyal maid. The most pleasurable to behold are Turner and Joshua Davis. Turner brings a stately thoughtfulness to the trapped Duchess, a pillar of strength with more than one trick up her sleeve. As the duplicitous Borsola, Davis knows just when to incorporate dark humor and tortured pathos. Davis doesn’t just recite the text: he attacks it, with the utmost care and respect for Borsola’s inner battles.
Any competent director will present a play with an eye toward the audience: will they understand the play? Appreciate it? Walk away with the play on their mind, sleep on it, ponder it the next day? Bruce is more than competent with The Duchess of Malfi : the play’s themes and images are stark and haunting. However, there’s also a degree of trust at play: believing in your audience’s intelligence and ability to grasp the text and interpret it for themselves. Though it’s beautifully presented and performed, Duchess is sorely missing this degree of trust. A little subtlety goes a long way.
Rating: ★★★
The Duchess of Malfi continues through May 26th at Strawdog Theatre, 3829 N. Broadway (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays 4pm. Tickets are $28, and are available by phone (866-811-4111) or online at OvationTix.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at Strawdog.org. (Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes, includes a 10-minute intermission)
All photos by Chris Ocken
