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IT wasn't as dark or as deadly as the infamous Black Hole of Calcutta, but the heat generated by a full house, a large cast and rows of the stage lights proved far more than the small air conditioning unit could handle last night as The Actors Group (TAG) continued its first full season with an ambitious, in-your-lap production of Shakespeare's "As You Like It." Director John Perry and an enthusiastic cast make the show worth seeing but anyone who wants to survive the experience in good spirits should plan on attending in casual attire. The cast worked hard last night but a noticeable number of seats were empty after intermission and those who stayed generally seemed too wiped out by the heat to get into the story or appreciate much of Shakespeare's wit. Stay cool to enjoy
comedy’s witBy John Berger
Special to the Star-Bulletin
Perry, too long absent from the local stage, makes a welcome return playing Touchstone, the clown-in-residence at the court of Duke Frederick. Touchstone accompanies Rosalind (Betty Sanchez) and her cousin Celia (Melinda Maltby) to the Forest of Arden after Frederick banishes Rosalind. Perry, Sanchez and Maltby have several good exchanges and generally deserve more audience response than they got last night. Perry and Anne Marie (Audrey) also mesh effectively in portraying one of the four comic courtships in Act II.
"As You Like It":
The Actors Group production;
7:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and
4 p.m. Sundays, through Oct. 8;
The Yellow Brick Studio;
$10. Call 591-7999.
The play is performed in the round in a performance area little bigger than a double bed. Perry serves as the show's stage hand as well and got an early laugh or two when laying out the mats of artificial turf that represent the forest.
Braddoc De Caires (Orlando), last seen as the hapless Evan Wyler in Manoa Valley Theatre's recent production of "As Bees In Honey Drown," does memorable work here as the romantic lead (Orlando falls madly in love with Rosalind but is barely able to express his feelings). The Shakespearean subplot that has Rosalind disguising herself as a young man and asking Orlando to treat "him" as Orlando would treat Rosalind, and Orlando then courting the "boy" with no clue that "he" is actually a woman, is preposterous by modern standards but De Caires and Sanchez play it well. De Caires is entertaining early on as tongue-tied Orlando fumes at his inability to communicate with the woman who has won his heart.
Sanchez is a charmer throughout. Maltby, one of the long-time pros in Perry's mixed-bag cast, does a fine job in the slightly smaller supporting role.
Richard Schaeffer effectively morphs between hero and villain in playing noble Duke Senior as well as Frederick. Andy Alvarado (Le Beau) and Paul Niiyama distinguish themselves in their TAG debuts; Niiyama plays several roles and is most engaging as an ill-starred wrestler and an itchy shepherd. Sharon Cohen (Amiens) also performs as a troubadour and was a hit with the crowd last night.
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