Page 67 - Sonoma County Gazette - August 2018

Shakespeare by the River Festival
bodies. The ambiance is fetid. It features antipathy and disharmony between countries
By Alexa Chipman
Hidden within the Foundry Wharf business park in Petaluma is a pristine
and corruption of officials. The image I remember most vividly is the that of three headless bodies
riverside lawn that becomes the setting for Petaluma Shakespeare Company’s FREE plays during the summer. Bring a blanket or low folding chair to enjoy the rarely performed All’s Well That Ends Well and creative celebration “Speechless Shakespeare” with dancing, comedy and exciting stage combat.
hanging from an urban bridge. Turncoat cartel boss, Benicio Del Toro, turns to horrified FBI agent, Emily Blunt, and says, “Welcome to Juarez!”. Dread is palpable. Dread morphs into rage and finally unfettered panic. The etymology of the word bears scrutiny. A sacarius was a “dagger man,” a Jew who carried a knife to kill the Roman oppressors way back in ancient times. It still means assassin in Italian but in Portuguese and Spanish it is more closely defined as “hitman.”
The narrative is told
mostly through the eyes of
agent Blunt. (I missed her
presence in the sequel.)
Having lost two of her
entourage at a drug house
where rotting corpses
were secreted behind
newly erected dry wall,
she seeks a payback but she is never given complete information regarding the recently formed operation. She is presented, in fact, with conflicting data even though all plot threads lead back to a drug kingpin. The mission is to track him down and eliminate him. The methodology employed to do that is not only outside of the law, it is outside of any moral decency. Del Toro is a shadowy figure in a white suit. His role is hinted at but Emily does not find out what it is nor does she find out exactly what her role is until the final twist. Josh Brolin
is the CIA agent in charge. He is inappropriately cavalier while treating the unholy madness as mere business as usual. The score, the stark cinematography underscore the theme of menace. Brolin and Del Toro reprise their roles in the sequel. The first film was directed by a French Canadian, the second by an Italian. They both have a foreign feel. Both films are brilliant and unsettling and they resonate. It is just too easy to speculate that our government does indulge in the kinds of heinous subterfuge that they describe. Does the end justify the means? Is there no intrinsic good and evil in the world but just gray areas that undulate and change? The original film as well as the sequel portray a war zone that will have no victors and one in which more than 120,000 people have already lost their lives.
Chloe Bronzan is fascinated by the opportunity to direct All’s Well That Ends Well which allows a freedom of expression that can be hampered when working with well-known material.
Exciting Sequel to Sicario
Don’t go see Sicario: The Day of the Soldado which may still be lingering on local screens
until you have rented the original movie first, Sicario. However, be warned both films are brutal and bloody. The initial foray into this dark world of drugs shows men as depraved subhuman creatures groveling over dead
In the story, Helena impresses the king, who offers her the choice of a marriage partner, a privilege usually reserved for men. When Bertram discovers
he is required to wed Helena, he is horrified, and attempts to rid himself of the obligation. She skillfully navigates the obstacles he sets for her, and as the title suggests, they discover mutual regard by the end.
“Shakespeare gives us a female protagonist who uses her intelligence and skill to change her lot in life...it is my belief that Helena and Bertram really are right for each other, but she is more ahead of him when it comes to seeing it...her character flaws are what make her interesting.”
As an additional layer to the complexity and strength of Helena, she will be portrayed by Riz Gross, who is a “wheelchair-bound actor, which I think will be an interesting take on the story” as Bronzan explains. The moment when Bertram recognizes Helena as a beautiful, courageous woman and falls in love becomes an acknowledgement that romance is possible for everyone, and the importance of looking past initial prejudices.
The Curtain Theatre celebrates its 19th summer amid the redwoods of Old Mill Park with one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, “Henry IV, Part 1.”
“Speechless Shakespeare” will present dancers such as Katie Baritell, Gregg Geoffroy and David McNaughton, a ballet choreographer and dancer, along with other non-verbal performances referencing nearly fifteen of Shakespeare’s plays. They are currently raising funds to bring in a portable stage and wheelchair ramps. Arrive early for All’s Well That Ends Well to enjoy a brief preview, or attend the full production. Director Jacinta Gorringe strives to “create an easy ‘Family’ version of Shakespeare...while entertaining the more advanced audience as well...inspired by his characters, plots, and themes.”
Full of comedy, action and wonderful characters, the play focuses on the transformation of Prince Hal—son of King Henry and future heir to England’s crown— from a wastrel who consorts in taverns with the roguish John Falstaff to a politically astute warrior who must confront an insurrection.
All’s Well That Ends Well ~ Aug. 23 - Sept. 1, Thu/Fri/Sat, 7p Speechless Shakespeare ~Aug. 26 - Sept. 2, Sun., 4p
Petaluma Shakespeare Company ~ petalumashakespeare.org
Curtain Theater presents
Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1
The Curtain Theatre is dedicated to putting on the world’s best plays in one of the Bay Area’s most beautiful settings. Its outdoor productions in Old Mill Park, including Shakespeare’s best-loved comedies, are designed for first-time viewers as well as long-time theatre buffs.
at sonomacountygazette.com CLICK Submit Article/Event
Curtain performances take place at the amphitheater in Old Mill Park behind the Mill Valley Public Library, at 375 Throckmorton Ave. curtaintheatre.org.
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