Stratford Beacon Herald, August 21, 2004
Remarkable cast makes King John memorable
By: Laura Cudworth
The Stratford Festival�s production of King John which opened last night at the Tom Patterson Theatre boasts a cast that could have turned an amateur script written on a bar napkin into something watchable.
This seldom seen history play is worth seeing. It will likely be years before it�s produced again and it may never again have a cast as strong as this one, which includes Stephen Ouimette (King John), Martha Henry (Queen Eleanor), Jonathan Goad (Philip the Bastard), Peter Donaldson (King Philip) Diane D�Aquila (Constance) and Tom McCamus (Hubert).
King John reigns over England illegitimately. King Philip of France wants John�s young nephew Arthur (Aidan Shipley) on the throne. Like all good dictators John refuses and threatens to invade France.
In the meantime, John is asked to settle a dispute between Philip the Bastard and his younger brother Robert Faulconbridge (Stephen Gartner). Robert has made a claim on their father�s estate based on Philip�s illegitimacy. It turns out Philip is actually the son of Richard I. He gives up any claim he had to the Faulconbridge estate for a knighthood and glory. He joins the invasion of France.
France and England arrive at a tenuous peace when Hubert suggests the son of King Philip, Lewis (Dion Johnstone) marry King John�s niece, Blanche (Keira Loughran). They are wed, but the alliance is short-lived.
John is excommunicated and King Philip is threatened with the same unless he breaks his alliance with John. He does and they go to war. Meanwhile, young Arthur is captured by the English.
Rumours circulate of Arthur�s death and the English nobility turn on John sending the country into chaos.
What�s fascinating about this production is not the plot but the evolution of the characters.
Mr. Ouimette�s King John is complicated and unforgettable. Though weak at the core he�s stubborn, power hungry and reactionary. For all his faults, he has the ability to recognize when he has gone too far. With Mr. McCamus, what should be the most poignant moment is unmistakably powerful when John surrenders his humanity and asks Hubert to kill the boy Arthur. It was chilling to watch and it�s possible a sold-out theatre has never been more silent.
Mr. McCamus does a beautiful job of playing a shady Hubert who, as the world gets uglier, shows redemptive qualities.
Philip the Bastard goes from a witty, comic character to a man troubled by the world around him and resolute in his loyalty. The role has several long soliloquies which Mr. Goad delivers with the ease of modern English. He�s as engaging alone on stage as he is when surrounded by the rest of the cast.
Ms. D�Aquila�s Constance is utterly unlikable as she pushes for war to get her son on the throne and herself in a position of power. But once she loses him she manages to command pity.
Ms. Henry�s Queen Eleanor rules her son absolutely and leaves the impression she�d make a terrifying mother-in-law. Director Antoni Cimolino avoids distractions and counts on his actors to turn in great performances. He manages a large cast on a small stage and uses the space wisely. There�s no clutter.
The design by Santo Loquasto is simple with just a steel staircase, a chair and a balcony. However, the movable staircase makes it possible for the set to go through as many transitions as the characters do. It�s imaginative and, combined with Robert Thomson�s lighting design, goes from barely noticeable to striking.
This play could have easily been a political war story that bounces from plot point to plot point, but thanks to outstanding performances, it�s a memorable and emotional experience.
King John runs in repertory until Sept. 24.