By Claire Svetkey :
The Belmont High School Performing Arts Company’s production of the Shakespearean comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona was a true success. Starring four incredibly talented actors and featuring an outstanding ensemble cast, the show was a well-executed, energetic delight to watch.
Valentine, played by Sammy Haines, and his servant Speed, played by Elizabeth Sattler, are kidnapped by a group of outlaws during a rehearsal for Two Gentlemen of Verona, a play by William Shakespeare, Nov. 7, 2018 in Belmont. [Wicked Local Photo/James Jesson]
One challenge with performing Shakespeare, according to the actors, is comprehensibility and ease of understanding for the audience. Junior Jane Wenzel, who played Julia, thought that a difficulty with presenting Shakespeare for a modern-day audience was that “you really have to work to convey meaning, because people will get lost in this idea that the words are just too confusing for them to understand them.” She expressed the hope that theatregoers would be able to move beyond that challenge and enjoy the show, explaining, “I’m always excited to bring Shakespeare to people. For this show, I want people to laugh with us and just have a good time.” Despite the Shakespearean dialect, audience members were clearly invested in the plot, laughing at the show’s jokes and watching tenser scenes with obvious worry. The emotions of the show seemed to resonate with the audience, unhindered by the old-fashioned language.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona, one of Shakespeare’s first plays, follows best friends Valentine and Proteus. Valentine travels from Verona to Milan, where he and the beautiful Sylvia fall in love, but Sylvia’s father, the Duke of Milan, doesn’t consider Valentine worthy. Proteus also leaves Verona and his lover Julia to join Valentine in Milan, and then he falls in love with Sylvia as well. Complications ensue when Julia, disguised as a boy, follows Proteus and learns of his disloyalty.
Senior Sammy Haines, in the role of Valentine, was lively, dramatic, and very likeable as Sylvia’s lovestruck suitor. The audience was invested in the highs and lows of his story arc, and entertained by the impromptu song he sang about Sylvia. Sylvia, who was played by junior Elisabeth Pitts, is consistently kind and morally upright, rejecting Proteus’s advances out of pity for Julia and never being unfaithful to Valentine; Pitts showcased the virtue and warmth of Sylvia without making her seem one-dimensional or lifeless. Without giving away the plot, Pitts was fantastic in the show’s emotionally fraught final scene. The romance between Sylvia and Valentine was believable and sweet, and had many audience members hoping for a happy ending.
In contrast, Proteus, played by junior Eli Barnes, is a cruel and complex character. Barnes’s acting was outstanding; although he seemed like a hero in the beginning of the story, it became quickly evident that Proteus’s integrity was a façade. Throughout the story, Barnes’s performance made it clear that Proteus always believed that his actions, no matter how wrong, were justified. The final scene, which was amended slightly from the original, was at first chilling but ultimately satisfying as Proteus got what he deserved.
Junior Jane Wenzel, in the role of Julia, was excellent. Julia is a more volatile, headstrong character than Sylvia, and Wenzel rushed into decisions with believable passion; however, when Julia suffered heartbreak, Wenzel’s portrayal was sensitive and nuanced. Asked to describe how she embodied her role onstage, Wenzel commented on the nature of playing a girl who dresses as a boy: “I have to sort of play two characters in a way, in that my physicality has to change pretty drastically from the beginning of the show to the end of the show.”
Comedic relief was provided by junior Nikolas Nielsen in the role of Proteus’s servant Launce, and junior Elizabeth Sattler as Valentine’s servant Speed. Their lines were hilarious individually, especially Launce’s monologue on his family, but a highlight of the show was their scenes together, with back-and-forth quips, riddles, and jokes. And of course, the real showstopper in the play was Launce’s dog, Crab, played by Brownie, a cast member’s dog.
Junior Alice Turner shone in the role of Lucetta, Julia’s attendant, with subtle humor and a convincing friendship towards Julia. Other noteworthy performances include senior Nathan Miller as Sylvia’s controlling father, the Duke of Milan; sophomore Liam Cmok Kehoe as Thurio, a wealthy but foolish suitor of Sylvia’s; junior Julia Kelso as Proteus’s mother Antonia; junior Ida Mihok as Antonia’s attendant Pantino; and senior Grace Christensen as Eglamour, a noble of Milan. Also impressive was the strength of the ensemble. It was obvious that everyone in the ensemble had a carefully thought out character with distinct mannerisms and a purpose in every scene. Particularly effective were sophomore Isabella Maldarelli as a citizen of Milan and freshman Lincoln Crockett as an outlaw.
The student-run tech crew did a great job bringing the towns of Verona and Milan to life, through elaborate sets including an ivy-draped balcony and a café, simple but well-designed costumes, an impressive quick change, and effective lighting choices. On the production team, stage managers Adrine Kaligian and Sam Lubarr, assistant stage managers Lilly Palkimas and Rin Sullivan, and assistant director Sri Kaushik worked incredibly hard to get the show to its finished form. Finally, the show would not be possible without the patient and thoughtful direction of Ezra Flam, whose productions are consistently amazing and leave those involved and those watching eager for the next show. He has been constantly supportive and kind to every student involved from the auditions in June to the final curtain call.
Congratulations to the cast and crew of The Two Gentlemen of Verona!