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| Jack Hollander, Leonard Frey, Ron Faber. (Photo: Friedman-Abeles.) |
Joseph Papp, as the new producer at Lincoln Center following
Jules Irving’s departure, used his first season to inaugurate a series of
Shakespeare revivals in the smaller of the institution’s two theatres, the
Forum, now renamed the Mitzi E. Newhouse. Troilus
and Cressida was the initial offering of this unsuccessful
venture.
David Schweizer’s production of this somewhat vague comedy
failed to clarify its action or themes, and served only to make things foggier.
His camped-up interpretation found few supporters. “Rarely can Shakespeare have
been less festive than in this excruciating travesty,” barked Clive Barnes, who
called it “inept, . . . sophomoric, . . . [and] foolhardy.” A 12-member cast,
many playing two roles, acted an unfunny farce interpretation that looked
something like a “mid-20th-century strip-cartoon.” This “dull attempt at being
daring” caused many to flee at intermission, or even before.
Walter Kerr was incensed by the thoughtless staging, but was particularly concerned about the awful speech of the actors, most of whom seemed “altogether unacquainted with the English language.” William Hickey as Pandarus and Madeleine Le Roux as Cressida, Cassandra, and Helen were among those who came in for especially rough critical handling. Barnes, for example, spewed that “William Hickey's nasal whining as Pandarus was particularly offensive, and Madeleine Le Roux has a long way to go before she can qualify as even a bad Shakespearean actress.”
There were many notable names involved. Among them were
William Hickey as Pandarus, Ron Faber as Nestor and Priam, Jack Hollander as
Agamemnon, Leonard Frey as Ulysses, Richard Masur as Menelaus and Ajax, Charles
Kimbrough as Thersites, Christopher Walken as Achilles, and Beeson Carrol as
Hector.
Readers of this blog who may be
interested in my Theatre's Leiter Side review collections (one with a memoir),
covering almost every show of 2012-2014, will find them at Amazon.com
by clicking here.
Next up: Tubstrip
