For those to whom the words ‘To be, or not to be’ invoke dread, fear not. ‘The Two Gentlemen of Verona’ is one of William Shakespeare’s least painful plays – it is full of witticisms, plot twists and turns, and yes, even cross-dressing.

It’s appropriate then, that the Syracuse University Drama Department’s latest production is one of Shakespeare’s earliest works. This is a simple and enjoyable play that doesn’t induce headaches or blank stares, one that the SU Drama production succeeds in carrying out.

Proteus (Luke Wygodny) and Valentine (Kenny Metzger) seem to be the best of friends. Valentine is off to see the world, and Proteus is to be with his lover, Julia (Sammi Lappin). But when Proteus’ father forces him to go to the duke’s court, Proteus forgets Julia and falls in love with Silvia (Liz Tancredi), the duke’s daughter. The problem is that Silvia’s already in love with Valentine. What ensues is a messy exploration of two men’s friendship as they battle to maintain dignity, navigate their friendship and find true love.

In acting, Wygodny, a junior musical theater major, strongly leads the cast. Despite his character’s numerous monologues directed to the audience, Wygodny never seems as though he is reciting poetry. His inflections are on point, helping move the play along whenever some of his fellow actors have greater difficulty delivering lines in a conversational matter.

While a few of the leads often appear lost in the meaning of their words, Shakespeare’s genius as a playwright keeps things flowing – primarily thanks to the hilarious characters that are Speed (Justin Nichols), Turio (Carlos Palencia, Jr.) and Launce (Jon Schloss).

Nichols, a junior musical theater major, uses facial expressions that are priceless, while Carlos Palencia Jr., a senior acting major, and his flamboyant prancing and rolling ‘R”s constantly overshadow major characters. But it’s Schloss, a junior acting major, whose turn as Launce is the most exciting. Schloss delivers each line with just the right amount of punch, not missing a joke along the way. Furthermore, it’s to his credit that he somehow is not upstaged by the adorable dog that accompanies him in most scenes.

The period costumes also delight, with a number of changes for each character – something productions of this level often cannot achieve in an accurate and appropriate manner. In particular, a scene at the duke’s court features a plethora of splendid color and shapes, as each actor wears a unique ensemble during a masked dance. The dance itself may be slightly agonizing and full of awkward laughter – as is often the case in Shakespeare’s ‘fun’ ballroom scenes – but the costumes give the audience something of a distraction. While a few costumes cause wonder (Proteus spends most of the play dressed like a blueberry muffin), most are on point and ultimately responsible for making the production a believable piece.

The staging itself is excellent – a stripped-down stage with minimal accessorizing, very much appropriate and viable for a play that hops quickly from location to location. That’s not to say, however, that there wasn’t explicit attention to detail. A quick blackout near the end allows for a total transformation of the duke’s court to the forest, only with a few choice green pieces.

Ultimately ‘The Two Gentlemen of Verona’ intrigues on many levels – it is essentially the original romantic comedy. The show’s faults are nothing short of normal for a college Shakespeare production. SU Drama’s take on this classic proves a respectable one indeed.

gmillerj@syr.edu

Published on February 21, 2010 at 12:00 pm