Groundling Room Only

WHAT HAPPENS when you give one of Harvard's most talented directors, experienced actors and creative crew a script of Shakespeare's Richard II? A near-professional performance that is easily one of the best to hit a Harvard House stage in a while.

Eric Ronis skillfully directed the play with unusual stagecraft. The audience sits on the floor (a few can sit on chairs in the corner) and the action frequently shifts from the front to back of the Holmes Living Room. This type of space manipulation is neither confusing nor disturbing, but rather gives the audience more of a sense of progression and reality in the play. Occasionally, when characters enter through windows in night scenes, for example, the brief but cool outside breeze allows viewers easily to imagine the cold northern Great Britain setting. Also, sound effects that come from outside the closed windows make scenes more credible. One of the many powerful scenes which testifies to Ronis' skill is when Richard (Christopher Moore) and his Queen (Kristin Gasser) part for the last time before they are banished. The characters stand before a single stark lightbulb which, in the midst of their touching departure, arrestingly alerts viewers to the reality of each character's tragic destiny.

SUPERB ACTING in the midst of fine direction is the most impressive aspect of this production. Moore, as the self-assured and occasionally snide King Richard II, and John of Gaunt (Stephen Gutwillig) give command performances. Moore is especially powerful in Act III when Richard hears his troops have deserted him. His acting captivates the viewer as he kneels in the flashlit room speaking to the ground and questioning the "destined doom" of a king "within whose crown lies death's court" and desperately cries out, "I am a human, too." Again, Moore commands the stage during his resignation scene in Act IV as he hesitates to part with his long-held crown.

Gutwiilig does an equally impressive job as the wizened and dying John of Gaunt. He realistically portrays Richard's sagacious uncle whose raspy, yet piercing voice haunts Richard throughout the play. Gutwillig also plays the Abbot of Westminster and has a brief appearance as the Gardener. This latter role proves his flexibility as an actor since he successfully and humorously fulfills the part of a gossipy old man, as opposed to the serious and frustrated John of Gaunt.

Edmund of Langley (Christian Kanuth) and Henry Bollingbrook (Ben Evett) are best when they ham up their lines. Particularly in Act IV, when the Duchess of York (Rebecca Clark) frantically defends her son, Duke of Aumerle (Debby Farber), from the King, without realizing her son has already been pardoned, Kanuth and Evett are humorous as they become progressively impatient with her persistence and consequently become more cynical.

Eric Oleson plays the three parts of Thomas Mowbray, Earl of Salisbury and Sir Pierce of Exton but is best when he is the irate red-faced Mowbray defending himself from murder accusation in Act I. Nicholas 'Davis also plays three roles but succeeds most at Sir John Bushy, a flaky favorite of Richard who flits about with a brightly colored silk scarf. Kristin Gasser is superb as the forlorn and lonely Queen to Richard who suffers from "nameless woe." Gasser is particularly effective in her final departure scenes with Richard. Jennifer Burton, Diane Paulus and Caroline Bicks occasionally succumb to overacting and have yet to master the art of walking like men, but are strong characters overall.

The lighting, under the direction of Malia Lewis, is well-suited to the room. The lighting is simple, but with occasional help from the characters themselves, it is effective. Most impressive are scenes at night in which two flashlights shine from either end of the room on the actors, creating a play of shadows on the walls. The set of a few chairs, lamps and benches, makeup by Margie Ingall, and costumes are all simple, but just enough.

The only drawback to this play is its length (two hours and 40 minutes). If Ronis had not remained as faithful to the script, briefer duel scenes and soliloquies would have resulted in a more tightly packaged play. Nevertheless, the superb acting, lighting and directing overall keep one from getting antsy while sitting on the thinly carpeted NoHo floor.