Selena Phillips-Boyle

Studio Theatre unwinds Cymbeline’s complex twists

Shakespeare’s plays always have the potential to be dense and difficult to understand. But the BFA acting class of 2012 has proven it’s possible to make the intricate script of the Bard’s Cymbeline into something accessible and entertaining, with a production that showcases the value of the proper representation of a story in creating compelling theatre.

The story begins as King Cymbeline (Brent Gill) discovers that his daughter Imogen (Alyson Dicey) has secretly married her childhood friend and lover Posthumous (Evan Hall). Furious at the news, Cymbeline banishes Posthumous to Rome and arranges for Imogen to marry the son of his new queen, Cloten (Nikolai Witschl). Imogen and Posthumous must face endless complications in order to see each other again.

Like many other Shakespearean plays, Cymbeline is an amalgamation of genres. Drama, comedy and action are all wrapped up in a neat little bundle, making the play both exciting and engaging. Banishment and vengeance are the main sources of conflict in the story, providing for a generous helping of bloody death scenes and angry monologues. But with a touch of humour added to the high drama the play demands, the cast of this production keeps it from becoming insincere.

Nikolai Witschl, stepping in on short notice to play the role of Cloten, creates a lively and engaging representation of one of the show’s most humourous characters. Witschl’s portrayal of Cloten’s vengeful thoughts and comical movements make for an entertaining performance, and he seems to draw attention every time he appears on stage.

Although the play is full of action, love and lust make up an important part of the central conflict. Imogen, repeatedly described as a goddess-like creature, makes admirers of nearly every man she meets with the simple power of her gaze. Dicey’s acting brings out Imogen’s vibrant and fearless personality, and although she and Evan Hall as Posthumus share very little stage time, their relationship is emotionally consuming, with passionate and realistic chemistry.

Cymbeline has been criticized as one of Shakespeare’s least cohesive plays, but the story becomes crystal clear with the actors’ skillful treatment of the script and dramatic body language. Even the ways they navigate the stage bring out Shakespeare’s powerful language. Far from a long, tedious play full of non-stop dialogue, the cast of Cymbeline brings out Shakespeare’s strong words with movement. The complex language doesn’t stop the audience from appreciating the story — instead, it immerses them in a fantasy world.

With a setting reminiscent of a fairytale, Cymbeline’s sequence of events isn’t necessarily historically accurate. But it doesn’t seem to matter: instead, the stage becomes a surreal world where the actors’ use of the stage creates a space that seems to stretch out beyond the confines of the theatre. The stage is a creative space all on its own, where actors move between time and space, sometimes even hanging like acrobats from silks dangling from the ceiling.

As one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known works, Studio Theatre’s production of Cymbeline is as satisfying esthetically as it is emotionally. While it may seem intimidating to take in, far from being overwhelming, the play leaves behind a feeling of impressed satisfaction.

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