I cannot praise Wandering Souls highly enough, a small troupe of players bringing
to passionate life both the comedy and drama of Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale." It was a seven-actor,
20-character tour de force by the peripatetic Wandering Souls, performing their "outreach" production in the beautiful
art deco Bethesda Theatre in downtown Bethesda, Maryland, for a limited three-show engagement.
Pared
down to its 90-minute essence (the play is perhaps best known for having the greatest stage direction of all time: "Exit,
pursued by a bear"), "The Winter's Tale" was accessible to the small audience who was privileged to see
it. Though the company did its own marketing, the booking at the between-seasons theater was apparently spur-of-the-moment;
the first signal of its existence was the change on the marquee on the day of the first performance.
The vibrant young cast (could any of them have yet seen his or her 30th year?) brought conviction and energy to their
multiple roles; the awkwardness of female casting in male roles was deftly handled (Kristen Garaflo as Florizel, Karen Novak
as larcenous rogue Autolycus, and puckish Kelsey Meikeljohn as sons of a king and a shepherd), all effusing great charm. One
could even hold a warm spot for the irrationally jealous Leontes (JJ Area), for his beliefs, though misguided, were so utterly
heartfelt.
The soul of Shakespeare's tragicomedy belongs to the gracious queen Hermione,
unjustly condemned for that very graciousness, and her outcast daughter Perdita raised as a shepherdess, parts played with
equal helpings of irreproachable nobility and pastoral gaiety by Betsy Rosen.
Kudos to director
Adam Jonas Segaller's smart adaptation and clever "stripped down" staging. As actors dart behind a curtain to
make a costume (and character) change, or sit on folding chairs off to the side to await their next entrance, there is no
attempt for realism except through our connection to the emotions portrayed. This was how Shakespeare often introduced audiences
to the staging of his works--suspend your need to see the great battlefields or the passage of time--and the beckoning to
use our imaginations is a compelling invitation to adventure.
Kudos also to the Bethesda Theatre
and facilities director Tom Davis for offering Wandering Souls the run of the place. The use of the professional venue was
intended to show the larger theater-going community what this intrepid band of players is committed to doing elsewhere on
its tours of churches, homeless shelters, nursing homes, detention facilities, and community centers.
According to the Wandering Souls' mission statement, printed on the back of the single-sheet program, the troupe
is driven by "a belief that the arts can fuel our imagination, engage our personal growth and help unite individuals
and communities. Yet, the richness of the arts is often considered a luxury. By bringing stripped-down, high quality, energetic
performances to those who have little or no access, we hope to break down that misconception and provide opportunities for
a broader cultural exchange."
As the company's Artistic Director Becky Peters was
giving her introductory speech before the play--explaining how important it was not just to make the arts more accessible
but to actually go into the communities who would not otherwise benefit from these experiences--I commented to my companion,
"This was what I wanted to do 30 years ago."
The final performance at Bethesda Theatre
is tonight (September 19) at 8 p.m.
The economy still sucks. Jay Leno seems to be the only thing on TV, and
all our most beloved celebrities (Patrick Swayze, DJ AM) seem to still be dying off, after the summer of losses (Michael
Jackson, Farrah Fawcett etc.).
So why not step away from the 24/7 memorial service that is
television these days and head on out to see some Shakespeare?
Wandering Souls, a new theatre
troupe in the area, is presenting their debut production, The Winter's Tale, for free this week. Wandering Souls
strives to make the richness of the arts more easily accessible to those who may find themselves with little or no access
due to sociological, economic, physical, or other unexpected life reasons.
The Winter's
Tale is directed by Adam Jonas Segallar and features JJ Area, Lex Davis, Kristen Garaffo, Kelsey Meiklejohn, Karen Novack,
Betsy Rosen and Teresa Spencer. Wandering Souls has taken the Bard's classic tale of jealous, love, grief, and redemption
and distilled it down to 90 action-packed minutes. The 7 talented actors in the cast cover 20+ parts. But don't
worry, they've left in Shakespeare's famous stage direction regarding the bear.
