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Regional Reviews: St. Louis Life Is A Dream Also see Richard's reviews of Lungs and Night of the Iguana
As it turns out, verse is supposed to reveal the texture of each character's soul, and it does here beautifully. I'm embarrassed to say it took a troupe of outstanding local actors, and Upstream producer/director Philip Boehm, to pound it into my head–after all those decades of second-rate verse plays (some of which I acted in myself). So don't be surprised if you suddenly start liking a verse comedy from three hundred and eighty nine years ago. And apologies if you sat through my own dullard performances in School for Wives or The Rivals back around 1980. I didn't understand that the verse defined the soul, till now. Pedro Calderón de la Barca was a poet and writer of the Spanish Golden Age, known for his passion plays. And indeed he eventually went into the priesthood. But sixteen years before that, he wrote Life is a Dream, a certifiable comedy with romance, where he proved his commercial talent. So here we have a chance to get back into the time machine of theatre and come out two and a half hours later (including an intermission) with our view of the world changed even more than the time before. It's the way they deliver it. Jennifer Theby Quinn, as a jilted lover, tears through a couple of impassioned speeches, rising to a towering majesty–it's her second speech that transforms a tormented prisoner into a great prince, in act two. Reginald Pierre is excellent as Segismund, that son of a Polish king (emotionally perfect Jerry Vogel, deeply wise and a bit weary). And Segismund rises from filth and vengeance in a fresh and original way to challenge his royal father. Some of the acting is a bit restrained, by my standards. But one of my favorite actors, Gary Glasgow, seems to have stepped out of a medieval frieze as Ms. Quinn's father. He starts out as the jailor of the maddened prince, but his Clotaldo must eventually lower himself before the younger man for mercy. The king has a passion for astrology, and horrible auguries have led him to lock the prince away since childhood. All of their perfect costumes are by Michele Friedman Siler, with help from Kim Carlson. Mitchell Henry-Eagles is fun as the calculating Astolfo, a Russian nobleman with simpering ambitions in Poland. A. J. Baldwin is more quiet and restrained, but glowing as a noblewoman later caught in a civil war. The battle scenes are minimal but compelling. Alan Knoll is the clown prince of comedy as Clarion, who follows Rosaura on her quest to see the world. They each get more than they bargained for. High quality actors Bryce A. Miller and Michael Pierce are very nearly thrown away on stage as jailers and soldiers, which just reminds us of how terrific everyone else is in the larger roles. But it was another case (the night I went) where most of the audience seemed to be listening so closely, as if the play were still in 17th century Spanish, that they couldn't seem to hear half the laugh lines. I suppose the same thing will happen with comedies from 2024, 389 years from now. They'll sit there and scratch their heads, when they should just be responding in the moment, as any good actor will lead you to do. Life is a Dream runs through November 3, 2024, at Marcelle Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, St. Louis MO. For tickets and information, please visit www.upstreamtheatre.org. Cast: Production Staff: * Denotes member, Actors' Equity Association ** Denotes Associate Member, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society |
