The Shakespeare Players of Rochester, through November 19, present “Hamlet,” directed by Peter Scribner,
in repertory with Tom Stoppard’s 1967 play “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are
Dead,” directed by Jean Gordon Ryon, which explores
“Hamlet” through the lens of lesser-known characters. The productions share a
cast, and are presented alternating days and times in order to allow audience
members to see both performances.
When the
play begins, Rosencrantz (Sean Michael Smith) and Guildenstern (Skylar Shaw)
are dead — or, are they? Even they don’t seem to know how they exist. The plot,
at first, seems a sort of holding pattern, a purgatory, an existential state of
being: characters waiting for a story. (And to that end, the production has
often been compared to Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot.”) To take their minds off
this plight of non-existence, the duo banters, plays “Questions,” and flips a
coin which consistently lands on heads. The curiosity of this luck prompts
Guildenstern — the analyst of the two — to wonder if they are in some sort of
alternate reality. And so they are. They don’t exist yet, in a way, because
their part of the story doesn’t exist yet.
The
audience, of course, has figured out by then that they are watching “Hamlet”
from behind the curtain — “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” might be
considered a spinoff of “Hamlet.” Here, onstage, is Hamlet (played to hilarious
satire by Spencer Christiano), bidding his love
interest, Ophelia (an appropriately wan Jamie Tyrell), to “get thee to a
nunnery”; there is Hamlet’s newly crowned uncle, Claudius, and adulterous
mother, Gertrude. The characters — except Rosencrantz and Guildenstern — seem
to come and go as they please. “It’s like living in a public park,” Rosencrantz
cries.
Each of
these scenes is fleeting, as are the roles of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in
“Hamlet.” They are but messengers, perhaps friends of Hamlet, who are
ultimately betrayed and killed. “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” takes
the cameos in “Hamlet” and makes them leading roles. The Player (Bill Alden)
and the seven Tragedians, who are ultimately part of Hamlet’s revenge, have
fuller roles in this production than they do in “Hamlet.”
Smith and
Shaw are well cast in the leading roles. They’re about the same age, and both
actors do a commendable job with the massive amounts of snappy dialogue and
rhetoric. Facial expressions and body language are equally important in this
show — a fact that, no doubt, director Jean Gordon Ryon
emphasized in rehearsals, as none of the actors appear despondent at any point.
Smith, who is a local filmmaker, plays the part of the airheaded Rosencrantz to
perfection, fluctuating between an empty mind and the throes of anxiety. Shaw’s
Guildenstern, as the thinker, has many of the quotable lines in the show, which
Shaw capitalizes on.
The Player’s
experience and confidence is a good balance to the youth and insecurities of
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and Alden has a strong stage presence. Between
him and the leading duo, there were many laughs from the audience. (And if Christiano’s Hamlet portrayal is any indication, that would
be a very entertaining show to see either before or after this one.)
The set,
designed by John Jaeger, is simple.MuCCC’s stage area has been built up into a wide corner
staircase of a few steps, and the only scene with significant set pieces comes
near the end of the play, when a sea voyage is suggested. The bareness of the
stage adds to the questions of existence throughout. Lighting by Chris
McCormack and sound by Ken Dauer is also minimal,
though effective. Costumer Sarah Michelle Scarpulla
stays traditional with the costumes, including stately crowns, satin dresses,
and breeches. Ultimately, the success of the show relies not on special effects
but on the acting and the script to carry the audience through two and a half
hours — three acts, with two 15-minute intermissions — of dialogue.
Inside the
program, there’s an insert dedicating both shows to the memory of Carl E.
Girard, an active young member of the local theater scene and 2002 Nazareth
College graduate who passed away earlier this year. This, like many other
things, is a testament to the hard work and camaraderie shared by Rochester’s
performing artists. Rochester is fortunate to have a theatrical society
dedicated to Shakespearean works, and a repertory venture is a particularly
admirable accomplishment, especially on the budget and time constraints of a
community group.
This article appears in Nov 16-22, 2016.
