A Company of Wayward Saints

Critiqued by Emma Gift

A Company of Wayward Saints written by George Herman and directed by Littleton High School's Kryssi Martin is a Commedia dell'arte piece about a theatre company trying to succeed enough to be able to go home. Through their last assigned scenario: "The History of Man", each characters not only found themselves, but were also able to recapture why they are actors in the first place.

Because Commedia dell'arte is all about executing a specific character through physicalization and movement, I knew that in order for this play to be a success, the movement had to be spectacular, and it was! Every actor was bursting at the seams with energy from their masked heads to their pointed toes. Every character was constantly moving, interacting, isolating and experimenting. At first I thought all that was going to happen were a bunch of random, spastic movements to accompany their dialogue, however the tableaus and the physicalizations were completely honest and justified. The manager of the troupe, Harlequin, was played by senior Keith Boos. Boos was physical and embraced the cocky leader role very nicely. His energy and movements were so spontaneous, yet very appropriate for his character and he interacted with everyone on the stage very well. I could tell that he was respected, both onstage and off. Spencer Topa, also a senior, played the role of the old, forlorn Pantalone. Not once did he break character or lose sight of his motivations. It was plain to see that he 100% understood Pantalone and had worked hard to do him justice, and his insights paid off. I was impressed with his blocking and physicalization. It is refreshing to see an actor take their role so seriously.

Jake Nice played the role of the boastful and proud Capitano. One of two juniors in the cast, he definitely held his own. His comedic timing and presentation were hilarious and very well done. It was obvious that he not only understood his character, but also the nuances of his lines. There were difficult dialects in this piece and the way he delivered his lines vocally could make you laugh or cry whether you were 5 years old or 55 years old. Harlequin's right-hand man, Scapino, was played by senior Michael Houle Von Behren. It is easy to say that he had one of the best physicalizations out of the entire cast. Every move he made was justified and nothing he did was out of place. It was a pleasure whenever he took the stage. Playing the role of Colombine, the nag and the wife of Harlequin, was Ana Bell, a senior. She was another one of my favorite characters because her obvious commitment to the production and her character shone through her movements, blocking and vocalization. She arguably had the most energy out of anyone on the stage and it definitely contributed to the enjoyable experience. Senior Samantha Scotti played Ruffiana the tart and did a very fine job. One of my absolute favorite parts in the play was the adolescence sequence that she and Von Behren did together. Her quirky, spunky character was so endearing and it was one of the most memorable scenes in the entire play for me.

Morgan Schoob, senior, played the wise physician Dottore. Out of everyone on stage, I could tell that she was having the most fun. Almost everything she did was done with a smile on her face. Her positive energy gave the play a more liberated feel. Last, but definitely not least are the Innamorati, Isabella and Tristano played respectively by senior Ali Follett and junior Scott Eggleston. Their light and airy exterior, matched with their confused and vain interior was a complex role for two people to play and they were able to feed off of each other well. The chemistry between these two was pleasantly surprising and their unfailing grace made the play more aesthetically pleasing.

This production in general was so visually attractive and the array of bright red, blue and yellow colors on stage definitely added to the energy. The two bright murals of characters painted on the proscenium by sophomore, Caroline Brewer was of high quality. The different drapes and tapestries hung from the grid and stage created the feel of an authentic Commedia stage.

The costumes (crew chief: junior, Alex Wood) complemented each character very well. For example, Harlequin and Scapino's subtle matching diamond patterns were clearly not an accident and the grayish clothing put on Pantalone was an obvious accent of his forlorn demeanor. This effort by the cast and crew is appreciated by an audience, and has an intangible effect that transcends the set itself.

The criticisms I have are in some of the ensemble work. As a collective cast, some of the transitions between sequences weren't as smooth as they could have been because of the awkward silences and movements. Also, I felt that most of the monologues were inconsistent in their energy. For example, I would be riveted one minute, and bored the next, causing me to lose focus in what they were saying. The soft guitar being played in the background of the second act was very appropriate for most parts, but then for a tiny portion, it too became a distraction from the prominent scene.

This play was fun-filled keeping you laughing and crying the whole time. It was a thoroughly entertaining production that occupied your eyes with bright colors and wonderful acrobatics. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome of this play and I'm glad I went.

(A Company of Wayward Saints played Littleton High School October 22-24, 2009)