In Seattle Public Theater's new production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, the distaff half takes over the title roles as well as the major character of the Player.
The sexual switch-up shakes up Tom Stoppard's tragicomedy, giving it less an air of absurdity and more reality. Which is not to say that the funny doesn't happen. However, the action in this production seems more natural and draws less from the artificial high clowning that marked past productions around Seattle.
First and foremost, credit must go to director Shana Bestock for casting three excellent leads in Angela DiMarco (Rosencrantz), Alyssa Keene (Guildenstern), and Heather Hawkins (The Player).
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are good at waiting....terribly good at it....as a former buddy named Hamlet keeps tripping past them, spouting about his difficulties, and then disappearing off to who knows where. There's a sensibility not unlike a pair of office assistants sitting outside the excutives' door, waiting for a meeting to come to an end and somebody, anybody, to decide what should be done next. Or perhaps the pair are the ultimate soccer moms, beguiling the time in the bleachers with coin tricks and discussions that ramble in all directions without reaching any definite conclusion.
DiMarco brings a sunny optimism to Rosencrantz while Keene gives her Guildenstern a nice dark side, a certain lack of trust in a comfortable resolution. Both create an easy give-and-take vibe of a pair that have so long been thrust together that they can irritate and experate each other on the flip of a coin, yet close ranks instantly when approached by an outsider.
As the ultimate flamboyant outsider, Hawkins strides across the stage, sheperding her less than stellar troupe of actors, anxious to make a buck and gain an audience, doing whatever it takes to make it to the next stop on the road. Again, the part seems completely natural for a woman. Here The Player becomes one of those gals who can charm, flatter, and flatten their adversaries in one hard-hitting quip.
A strong cast of Seattle regulars and some charming younger actors fill up the rest of the roles. The action never lags, the diction is crystal clear, and the sharp wit of Stoppard's first hit is never taken for granted. This is definitely a don't miss production of a superb play.
This production runs through Feb. 19 at the Bathhouse Theatre. Check the SPT website for ticket information.
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