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April 10, 2003
THEATER REVIEW
Two topical takes on 'Henry V'
By David C. Nichols, Special to The
LA Times |
.....So is the enthusiasm with which director A.M. Charlens' eager cast invests its account in Hollywood. Like the Knightsbridge staging, it uses non-gender- specific casting. Ideologically, it is the polar opposite, cut to favor patriotic uplift.
Not that all ambiguities are erased. As Henry, Justin Saj goes from cocksure adolescent to shell-shocked conqueror. Charlens works with bare-bones means. The set consists of a center-stage throne, and the costumes are shrewd wardrobe-rack pulls. Such spareness throws emphasis on the verse; given that "Henry" contains some of the loveliest poetry in the canon, this is an asset.
Leandro DiMonriva, alternating Chorus duties with equally eloquent colleagues Brigitte Gardiner and Matthew Saxe, burrows into "O for a Muse" while encircling the venue.
The mechanicals go from rowdy rustics to rending veterans. The French court is dryly satirical, with the vaudeville between Lisana Jeffries' Katherine and Malinda Zehner's Alice delightful. Kelly Vincent's Exeter, Chairman Barnes' Canterbury, Suzie Duck's Quickly and Pete Brown's Montjoy are other standouts.
True, certain National Forensics League aspects are detectable. The pace is erratic, with some awkward scene transitions. Nor does every actor maintain simultaneous iambic pentameter and inner conviction. Nevertheless, the group fervor, along with the topicality, carries both day and play.*
'Henry V'
Where: Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Blvd., 2nd Floor, Hollywood
When: Friday and next Thursday, 8 p.m.; Sunday and April 19, 2 p.m.
Ends: April 19 Price: $15
Info: (323) 428-5678
Running time: 2 hours
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