My Night With The Bard
Recently I saw a production of Shakespeare’s Cymbeline at Lincoln Center, and I have mixed feelings. Cymbeline is the story of the British king and his daughter Imogen who marries a man against her father’s wishes. I’m a huge fan of the Shakespeare…And with some vigor, I’ve studied his plays and poems throughout my acting career. However; I’m unfamiliar with Cymbeline, and now I know why. I found myself questioning whether it was a history, comedy or drama, and the answer is…it’s all three! The play is a bit of a brat; with a hard to follow plot, and a cast of thousands. Throughout history, there have been various rumors that perhaps Cymbeline was not penned or completed by Shakespeare. After seeing the play, I began to ponder the sentiment as well. I’ve come to the conclusion that the problems I have with Cymbeline is not with the Lincoln Center’s performance, but with the play. Sorry Will.
The director Mark Lamos imposes his vision on a grand scale at the, Lincoln Center Theater, between the sumptuous costumes and the elaborate beautiful stage design. There are so many characters to mention, but I will point out just a few. One is Martha Plimpton who is a wonderful and accomplished actor–she offers a strong performance as Imogen, a very complicated role indeed; her presence dominates the stage. As an aside…Cymbeline’s Imogen is the protagonist, unlike most of Shakespeare’s plays where the central character is male. And this one is for the ladies, Jonathan Cake’s body is so buff as the deceiving Iachimo; his character is similar to Iago in Othello. Cake makes his character come alive as a seducer, and he revels confidently across the stage. Phylicia Rashad, from the Cosby show, plays a delicious villainous step mother.
Up for a challenge, test your wills, if you like with the bard at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center until January 6th…
