“King John” is one of Shakespeare’s least-performed plays. In fact, it is the one play that he himself may have never seen on stage. Possibly because it doesn’t jibe with our more popular views of John as the villainous enemy of Robin Hood, and possibly just because it’s a history play, which demands both dramaturgical acumen and metaphorical/thematic refinement, it takes a company and director with considerable know-how to produce it.
Certainly, some of Shakespeare’s plays deserve their reputation for being unfathomable. But “King John” is full of intrigue, pageantry and yes, sword fights aplenty. And, there is no question that Stephanie Coltrin and Shakespeare by the Sea, L.A.’s premier traveling Shakespearean troupe, have the know-how to not only make it comprehensible, but enjoyable and meaningful.
Even the most ardent revisionists would give John barely a passing grade as ruler. One of the great documents of all time, the Magna Carta, came about because King John abused his power. Shakespeare was one of those revisionists. He desired, no doubt, to keep in good stead with the reigning monarch, QE1, who happened to be a descendant of King John. So, rather than the fool of “Lion in Winter” or the villainous boss of the Sheriff of Nottingham, we have a Nixonian (& J. Edgar) blend of paranoia, skilled political manipulation, and pursuit of power at all costs, even when that cost is compromise.
The play opens at the death of John’s big brother, the famed Richard the Lionheart. The heir apparent, to many of the lords and to Philip, the King of France, is Richard’s son, Arthur, who is anything but a lionheart. John, then, must use a combination of force, guile, compromise and manipulation to keep the crown that he has usurped.
That means marrying his niece to Philip’s son; juggling the political aims of the Cardinal; imprisoning Arthur; sacrificing some “face;” and winning a few battles, especially against the former enemy of Richard, the Duke of Austria.
All of this wheeling and dealing, and the preponderance of knights, cardinals, kings and queens, makes it seem like a chess game come to life, especially on SbtS’s multi-tiered Gothic set, which beautifully stands for an empire in moral decline. It is no accident that the one purely good person, Arthur, is the pawn.
Director Coltrin, too, is quite the chess master. The blocking alone is stunning, as no less than 17 lords and ladies are a-leaping around the stage at any given moment. She uses the multiple-layered set beautifully to convey levels of power, interest, and just who is on what side. (The colors of the magnificent costumes help, too.)
Aiding Coltrin is a set of truly fine performances by every one of the some eight major players. Philip (Mark Rimer) and Austria (Andrew David James) are strong, confident and interesting, giving lead-quality performances. Shakespeare and Coltrin let you prefer them to John. Patrick Vest makes particularly interesting and involving choices as the title monarch. He keeps him insecure and a little weak, suppressing his villainy, but still portraying a man we can’t afford to like
Cylan Brown, as the Bastard, John’s loyal general, quite skillfully propels the plot and serves as the likeable, effective knight on the side of the Plantagenets. Kristina Teves, as Constance, makes us truly feel how much John’s manipulations wrong her, the wife of Richard and mother of Arthur. Though we want her to go crazy, she wisely steps back from that, so her words can be more true and powerful. Nathaniel Weiss is able as the vulnerable Arthur, as is Don Schlossman as the manipulative Cardinal, no less power-hungry than John, and no more likeable.
“King John” is relevant today for precisely the reasons it was all too relevant when it was written. As a lesson in power and compromise, it warns against letting a country be dismantled more from internal strife and “polarization” than from any external forces. Elizabeth was battling the same forces as John – the Pope, France (and another Philip, King of Spain), and many of the nobles – over her claim to the throne. To her eternal credit, she heeded the warnings.
Applause to Coltrin and Co. for recognizing this relevance and having the fortitude to present it. Perhaps the play’s lesson can be learned again, closer to home.
King John (in repertory with All’s Well that Ends Well) is being performed Wednesday through Sunday, at various venues through August 9.
On Wednesday, July 17, we can see King John at 7 p.m. at Valley Park, Valley and Gould, in Hermosa Beach. A bit further on: Friday, July 26, at 8 p.m. at Wilson Park, 2200 Crenshaw, in Torrance; and on Friday, August 9, at 8 p.m. there is a performance at Point Fermin Park, 807 Paseo del Mar, in San Pedro. Admission is free. (310) 217-7596 or go to shakespearebythesea.org.
