Idle Muse Theatre Company's Equivocation Pits Truth vs Power in a Play Within a Play

e-quiv’-o-ca’-tion n.  1.  to use terms having two or more meanings in order to deceive or mislead  2. Uncertain; doubtful  3.  Suspicious

Micahel Dalberg and Brendan Hutt
Photo by Steven Townshend

Idle Muse Theatre Company kicked off its 2019-20 Season with Equivocation, by Bill Cain, at the new Theatre Off Broadway.  This work is a perfect choice for a company with a mission to produce theater that is transporting, timely, and true.  Cain’s multi-layered storytelling is not far off from current political events.

The story transports us to the aftermath of the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605 to assassinate King James I and destroy the British parliament. Playwright William Shagspeare (the contemporary spelling of the Bard’s name) has received a royal commission to write a “true history” of the events, subject to the particular specifications of His Majesty.  Shag and his fellow troupe members work to unravel the truth behind the conspiracy only to lead to a collision between duty to country (and their commission) and the pursuit of truth.  New truths are revealed as the layers of the plot are investigated.  Throughout, the Bard struggles with the dilemma of writing a work that reveals the actual truth or taking the safer path of following the commissioner’s direction and creating a propaganda play for the government.

Kade Cox, Micahel Dalberg, Emerson Elias, and Jake Baker
Photo by Steven Townsend

The six actors play over 30 characters, sometimes multiple characters in a single scene.  As Shag, Brendan Hutt masterfully portrays the Bard’s struggle between truth and the more profitable (and safer) propaganda.  Hutt wrangles the character’s emotional roller coaster, additionally burdened by the guilt at the death of his son.  Michael Dalberg plays the pompous Lord Cecil with oily sleaze then quickly morphs back to a Globe Theatre player discussing the merits of a script with his fellow thespians. Jake Baker portrays the confident head of The Kings Men, Shags acting troupe, but smoothly transforms into a solemn, impoverished Jesuit priest with a way of clouding what he is saying with his choice of words.  Emerson Elias confidently leads the prosecution of the Gunpowder Plot’s participants (or are they?) then becomes the troupe member suspected of leaking documents to Cecil.  One of the highlights is Kade Cox as the gregarious Scottish King (and fan of witches) watching himself as an actor in the Bard’s play.  With a twirl and a spin, his royal robes are gone and he joins a duel with Shag in the very play the King is watching.  Though sometimes as hard to follow as a LeCarre novel, the acting is forceful and passionate.

Throughout the chaos and arguments among the members of the acting troupe, it is Shagspeare’s daughter, Judith (played to perfection by Kali Skatchke) who provides the play’s stabilizing force.  Judith wanders on to the stage, observing from the edges.  At the height of the conflict, she delivers a deadpan observation at which the troupe members stop in their tracks, wondering why they couldn’t see the obvious themselves.  However, Judith has struggles of her own, with a difficult relationship with her father and being hidden by the shadows of her dead twin brother.

Kali Skatchke and Brendan Hutt
Photo by Steven Townshend

Jackson’s direction meets the challenge of producing a massive work within a tiny stage.  His direction keeps things moving nicely, filing the tiny space to almost overflowing.  With actors sometimes performing within inches of the audience, one wonders which side of the fourth wall has the greater challenge to maintain concentration.

 

Idle Muse Theatre Company’s production of Equivocation is solid story-telling, directing, and acting.  Despite the two hour, 45 minutes running time, the play moved quickly under the Jackson’s deft direction.  This play makes me look forward to what the company has in store for us during the remainder of the 2019-20 Season.

Equivocation runs September 20 – October 20 at The Edge Theatre Off Broadway, 1133 W Catalpa Ave. The regular performance run is Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with an additional performance: Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m. Industry nights are $10 every Thursday for industry professionals. Tickets are $10-$20 and are on sale now at www.idlemuse.org; or by calling 773.340.9438.  The performance runs for two hours and forty-five minutes.