REVIEW BY JOHN BERGER / jberger@staradvertiser.com
No knowledge of English history, or of the seven preceding plays in Shakespeare’s epic eight-play History Cycle, is necessary to enjoy the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival’s production of “Richard III.”
‘Richard III’Presented by the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival» Where: The Arts at Marks Garage, 1159 Nuuanu Avenue |
Knowledge of what actually happened during the brutal civil war that became known in retrospect as the “Wars of the Roses” could actually be a distraction given that The Bard was never one to let historical facts get in the way of telling a compelling story. As for the back story, HSF director Tony Pisculli’s judicious abridgement of the script that is, truth be known, one of the longest of all Shakespeare’s plays, includes key scenes that will get any first-timers up to speed regarding who’s who in this multi-generational story of the struggle between the Yorks and the Lancasters.
Pisculli, one of the three founders of the Festival, has made it his policy do a show with an all-female cast every other year as a way to “maximize the use of local talent” and accommodate more of the talented women who are available to do Shakespeare in the summer. The all-female concept worked quite well in 2010 when he presented “Henry VI” — a three-act condensation of the three plays Shakespeare wrote about the ill-starred Lancastrian king. It works equally well this time and the production values are better.
There was a noteworthy distraction or two in Pisculli’s “Henry VI.” There are no such distractions here.
Pisculli’s “Richard III” is first and foremost the platform for a career-best performance by Stephanie Keiko Kong in the title role. Kong does a tremendous job playing one of Shakespeare’s most vividly written and complicated characters. Her portrayal of Richard III encompasses the many moods and emotions experienced by this evil yet engaging character yet is always sharply focused. Highlight moments include Kong’s expressive performance in the scene where Richard successfully woos a woman who hates him, and the one where Richard listens in silence while his mother tells him she regrets giving birth to him.
Pisculli surrounds Kong with several marvelous actors.
Ann Brandman (Queen Margaret) spews malevolence as the embittered widow of Henry VI, the last Lancastrian king. Brandman stands out visually from the others — she’s dressed in black when others are wearing various colors, barefoot while the others wearing shoes, and crouches ape-like while the others stand tall. Brandman’s energetic physical performance suggests that Margaret’s hatred of the victorious Yorkists has twisted and distorted her soul even while she gleefully anticipates their destruction. Brandman is a commanding presence each time that she appears.
Peggy Anne Siegmund (Cecily, Duchess of York) is another pillar with her portrayal of the proud matriarch of the York family. Having lost her husband and a son in the bitter war against Henry VI, the duchess gradually discovers that the greatest threat to the long-term survival of the family is Richard, her youngest son.
Eden-Lee Murray (Queen Elizabeth) caps a superb performance as the wife of Richard’s brother, Edward IV, in the scene where Elizabeth realizes with horror that the only way she can ensure the survival of her only surviving child, Elizabeth of York, is to convince Elizabeth to marry Richard — who is not only the girl’s uncle but also the man responsible for the deaths of her two brothers.
Others stand out in slightly smaller but important roles. Nilva Panimdim (George, Duke of Clarence) and Linda Johnson (Lord Hastings) deliver compelling final scenes as two of the also-rans in Richard’s ruthless brand of hard-ball take-no-prisoners politics. Andy Valencia (Duke of Buckingham) personifies competence and quiet ambition as Richard’s loyal ally.
Shakespeare intended Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, to be seen as the deliverer of England from the evil of Richard and the restorer of goodness to the kingdom. Kathryn Mariko Lee (Henry, Earl of Richmond) embodies all those qualities and more with her portrayal of the future Henry VII — she almost glows with goodness — in the final scenes. -30-
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John Berger has been a mainstay in the local entertainment scene for more than 40 years. Contact him via email at jberger@staradvertiser.com.