EQUIVOCATION a world premiere smash hit at OSF
Shag (Anthony Heald) takes notes as his actors flesh out his script (from left, Gregory Linington, John Tufts, Jonathan Haugen). Photo by Jenny Graham.
EQUIVOCATION by Bill Cain World Premiere April 15 -October 31
Director: Bill Rauch; Scenic Designer: Christopher Acebo; Costume Designer: Deborah M. Dryden; Lighting Designer: Christopher Akerlind; Music/Sound: Andre Pluess.
Bill Rauch confesses that this year’s play selection is deliberate because of a connection between Equivocation, Macbeth and Henry VIII. Henry VIII instigated the schism leading to the finally break from Catholicism and the rule of the Pope who denied his petition for annulment of his marriage to Katherine. However, Catholicism went underground and the Jesuits who, according to their order, were bound to tell the truth. When the henchmen of the King came knocking on their door truthful answers to questions could lead to physical loss of their heads. They perfected the art of equivocation and as Jesuit Father Henry Garnet (Richard Elmore) advises, “Don’t answer the question they’re asking. Answer the question beneath the question. The equivalent question.”
Bill Cain’s historical play tells his version of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, when repressed and disgruntled citizens were caught trying to blow up Parliament along with the people inside including King James I. Father Garnet is eventually tried and hanged for his potential role in the plot. Robert Cecil (Jonathan Haugen), the power behind James I, commissions Shakespeare, referred to as Shagspeare (Anthony Heald), to write a play about the plot giving a favorable light to the government. It just happens that James I has written a first draft.
Shag’s reluctance is of no avail stating that he and his acting troop do true histories and not politics. To the question asked by Shag of “Why me?” Cecil counters that Shag’s plays will have longevity and people will still be reading them in 50 years. At that, the audience roars.
There are only five male parts, the others, also members of Shag’s company, calling themselves the King’s Men, are Sharpe (John Tufts) and Armin (Gregory Linington). Elmore, Haugen, Tufts and Linington play 20 roles. Bill Rauch’s imaginative direction runs rampant as the cast move from reality to play acting with alacrity in their costume changes and character definitions. The only female character is Judith (Christine Albright), Shag’s daughter who acts as a narrator and a stabilizing influence on much of the hectic activity. When Shag decides he cannot write the play Cecil desires, she produces a discarded copy of Macbeth that, of course, includes witches making it acceptable to King James.
Author Bill Cain is a master at dovetailing past episodes of the characters in the Gunpowder Plot with the everyday workings of the King’s Men rehearsals and their internal conflicts. Like Shakespeare’s work, it is revisionist history injecting humor with deadly serious actions. The production uses an Elizabethan stage type area allowing free movement of the fast paced costume changes (Deborah M. Dryden) ranging from grunge for the ordinary man to regal ermine for King James.
The running time is two hours and 30 minutes including one intermission but considering Henri Bergson’s relative time, it seems much shorter.
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of theatreworldinternetmagazine.com