A hardy band of excellent actors like John Pankow, Kevin Geer, C.J. Wilson, Anthony Arkin and Halley Feiffer don many costumes to drolly depict various peasants, cardinals, lords, harlots, warriors and popes. Designer Michael Krass supplies the brightly-colored wardrobe while Walter Spangler’s settings handsomely provide cartoon glimpses of medieval times.

A good reason for this semi-serious comedy possibly could emerge amid these dense thickets of antiquity if the bloated script was trimmed. A director’s eye no doubt would have helped, but Lonergan himself stages his play—with rather a heavy hand—and apparently every word is precious to him. It is a typically admirable artistic policy of Signature Theatre to allow the author to direct, but the tedious results are ruinous for his play.

“Medieval Play” continues through June 24 at the Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 W. 42nd St., New York. Call (212) 244-7529 or visit www.signaturetheatre.org.

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