The Shakespeare Conspiracy
Rover Dramawerks presents the American Premiere of Andrew Shepherd’s The Shakespeare Conspiracy
CAST
Michael McMillan: Martin Shakespeare
Joseph Figueiras: Valentine
Sara Parisa: Jules
Daniel White: Tybalt
Matt Gunther: Garfield Oberon
Cameron McElyea: Iago
Heather Walker Shin: Lady Macbeth
Brian Sullivan: Edmund, Bastard Son of Gloucester
Erik Knapp: Benedick
Savannah Valdez: Beatrice
Ernesto Alanis: Puck
Zeke Fayble: Richard III
Jenny Wood: Helena
Kerra Sims: Sister 1
Nancy Lamb: Sister 2
Sara Carraway: Sister 3
Creative Team
Carol M. Rice Director
Carol M. Rice Set Designer
Katy Hill Stage Manager
Kerra Sims Costume Designer
Sara Jones Props Designer
Jason Rice Sound Designer
Kenneth Hall Lighting Designer
Kenneth Hall Board Operator
Matthew James Edwards Fight Choreographer
Elizabeth Kirkland Intimacy Coordinator
My thoughts on The Shakespeare Conspiracy or…what a piece of work is this.
About the Play
Shakespeare’s characters are real, the RSC is a branch of the government (a bit like MI6 but with better costumes), Iago is trying to destroy the world, and mankind’s last hope is a travel agent named Martin. Dive into a most lamentable, epic, comic, romantic tragic comedy in a world where Shakespeare’s heroes and villains have been waging a secret war for over 400 years. If the rules of theatre are broken, it will bring about the end of the world. It all hinges on a prophecy about The Last Descendant, who has no idea about any of this until the night he meets a girl at a party…
Rover Dramawerks’ production of Andrew Shepherd’s The Shakespeare Conspiracy is an exciting, humorous, and ultimately touching evening of theater that is a huge treat for people like me who have loved the works of the Bard for most of their lives.
Playwright Shepherd has crafted an ingenious fantasy that intertwines characters from several of Shakespeare's renowned works. Prominently featured are Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, Richard III, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Much Ado About Nothing, with numerous references to Hamlet and Henry V.
No need to worry if you are unfamiliar with any of the plays, as Carol M. Rice’s deft direction skillfully pulls you into the plot where intrigue, romance, comedy, and swordplay abound. Director Rice, who also serves as the scenic designer, presents the play on a bare stage where fantasy and reality are separated by a gold sash down the middle. Jason Rice provides excellent music and sound effects throughout the play that highlight both the humor and drama. There’s also excellent lighting from Kenneth Hall and character defining costumes from Kerra Sims.
But what really makes Rover’s Shakespeare Conspiracy hugely entertaining is the outstanding cast who bandy the Bard’s words (and Shepherd’s) around as comfortably as if they were members of the RSC.
The three sister witches (Kerra Sims, Nancy Lamb, Sara Carraway) from Macbeth serve as a quasi-Greek chorus and provide comic moments and transitions throughout the performance and are never quite sure if they are in a Shakespeare or Chekhov play.
Joseph Figueiras makes a brief but impressive appearance as Valentine/Mercutio before he meets his demise at the hands of Daniel White’s mute, black clad Tybalt, who is always a looming, threatening presence.
Jenny Wood is a delight as Helena especially when she becomes amorous with the perennially discontented but strangely likeable Richard III of Zeke Fayble. ( I am restraining myself from making a “hump” pun here.)
The bawdy, brash, and boisterous Beatrice and Benedick are portrayed by Savannah Valdez and Erik Knapp. Valdez and Knapp bring laugh out loud humor to the show and are about as good as comic duos get.
Matt Gunther is commanding as the stalwart Garfield Oberon, head of the threatened RSC and determined to protect it. Oberon is assisted by Puck played by Ernesto Alanis. Alanis makes Puck a quirky, oddly shaped, and weird, almost birdlike character. It is a fascinating interpretation of the other worldly Puck and Alanis is amazing to watch. Is it too early in the season to give out a best supporting actor award?
Brian Sullivan is Edmund from King Lear and leads a sort of Dr. Philish therapy group for Shakespeare’s villains. I admired the John Michael Higgins vibe Sullivan brought to the role. It was as if you could see the troubled mind of Edmund behind the tentative smile.
As Lady Macbeth, Heather Walker Shin is sensational. Shin captures Lady Macbeth’s strength and vulnerability. In this play, Lady Macbeth is the sister of Iago and has a very dark secret, a spot that cannot be removed from her soul and Shin makes her torment palpable.
Cameron McElyea’s Iago is a stunner. His perfect enunciation and measured delivery make Shakespeare’s ultimate villain even creepier. His impeccably dressed Iago is like a satanic college professor spreading malevolence instead of knowledge. It is a truly chilling performance.
As Jules/Juliet, Sara Parisa is luminous and enormously appealing. Her Juliet is forthright, determined, and has a bit of sass. All those classic lines sound fresh coming from Parisa and she plays both the modern and the classic character masterfully.
The heart of The Shakespeare Conspiracy is Martin Shakespeare, the last living descendant of the Bard. Michael McMillan becomes a sort of Everyman in the role. He is in a world he doesn’t totally understand, and finds himself in love with the fictious (or is she?) Juliet. To say that McMillan is engaging in this role is an understatement. With his charm and genial demeanor, McMillan evokes empathy for a man caught in a fantastical situation. I would love to see him as Henry V whom he quotes so wonderfully as Martin.
The Shakespeare Conspiracy is one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve had at the theater in a long while. It is a sharp, intelligent play with much wit and much heart.
The Shakespeare Conspiracy continues at Rover Dramawerks at the Cox Playhouse in downtown Plano through January 25.
