newjerseynewsroom.com

Shakespeare’s semi-dark comedy brightens up the Delacorte in Central Park

BY MICHAEL SOMMERS

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

OFF BROADWAY REVIEW

Tops among the many abiding pleasures of the New York summer is the opportunity to grab freebie tickets to whatever Shakespearean production the Public Theater offers at its al fresco Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

It’s easier than usual to go this year since no mega-artistes like Al Pacino and Meryl Streep are attracting mobs of mere star-gazers to get in the way of us theater lovers.

The very enjoyable staging of “All’s Well that Ends Well,” which opened on Saturday and “Measure for Measure,” which lights up on June 30, are populated by the same troupe of actors; none of whom may be monumentally stellar names as yet but otherwise provide excellent company.

Many of you probably recall that “All’s Well That Ends Well” is the seriocomic saga of a smart woman who pursues a man-child unworthy of her. You may question Helena’s choice in husbands but can’t help admiring the lady’s resourcefulness when Bertram gives her an impossible task to achieve before he’ll submit to settle down as her husband. Of course, the hand of God lends Helena a bit of assistance in finally snaring the guy.

A slim and vibrant Annie Parisse is an appropriately valiant Helena who confidently cures the ailing King of France and then hatches the “bed trick” scheme that captures her footloose mate. Parisse’s demure yet vital intelligence makes Helena a heroine the audience really roots for to win.

Andre Holland takes some of the curse of being an unappreciative idiot away from Bertram by playing him simply as being very, very young and stubbornly blinkered in his bad judgment.

A special pleasure is the presence of John Cullum – that 81-year-old treasure of the American theater -- who charmingly portrays the King first as a gallantly dying gentleman and later as a surrogate father to Helena. A bright-eyed Tonya Pinkins is nicely regal and anxious as Bertram’s aristocratic mama.

The spluttering Reg Rogers’ ripe Barrymore-esque performance as the blowhard Parolles wittily suggests that Bertram’s craven chum always has a couple of drinks under his belt.