"King John" - upstart crow @ CHAC

[Christopher Comte]

This is a quickie, although I'm hoping to write a more formal review in the next couple of days, but this show deserves attendance, and so I'm going to tell you right now to:  GO SEE "KING JOHN"!

This is simply a phenomenal production.  Every production element, every individual, every performance is top-notch.  It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see an ensemble of some of Seattle's best female performers - strike that - performers period - together on-stage in a simple, straight-forward, intensely focused production.  Director Rosa Joshi makes a welcomed return to the Seattle theatre scene with an intelligent, articulate, purposeful and completely engaging from start-to-finish staging.  In one sense,"King John" is a logical and perhaps inevitable response to the call of Seattle Shakespeare Company's recent all-male "The Taming of The Shrew", but far from being a "gimick", this production should serve to remind us of why we keep doing theatre; and more importantly, why theatre still matters in our media-saturated society.

It seems grossly unfair to pick out favorites from the 13 member cast, but Amy Thone, as John, Seattle newcomer Gretchen Kritch, as King Philip of France, and Peggy Gannon as Philip Falconbridge are standouts amongst a cast of outstanding performances.  Guys, get ready for some serious competition, because these women may soon be auditioning for your roles!

Finally, I have to make note that this is an Equity Members' Project Code production.  For those of you who don't know what that means, in brief, this is a mechanism that allows Equity members to self-produce without the normal compensation and benefits packages generally required when under contract.  To every Equity actor who bemoans the fact that they can't work on the fringe - well, here's the blueprint that makes it possible.  And believe me, this production should serve as inspiration to any union performer who's tired of sitting around, waiting for the phone to ring.  This production sets an extremely high bar for anyone to surmount, but if it is also a general indication of the calibre of performance we should expect from future EMPC shows (and I for one, hope there are many more that follow in its wake), then it promises great things.

"King John" only runs for three weekends, so DO NOT miss this opportunity to see some of Seattle's best at their best.

[M. Elizabeth Eller]

Thanks for the praise!  I may be biased, but I'll throw my my two cents in to second that - the show is amazing, and a must-see!

[Patti West]

I'm also biased but I third that! GO!

[Rik Deskin]

Also biased as the stage manager of this brilliant show! You must see this! Do not miss it!

[Brandon Ryan]

  I myself am just racist. But I recommend the hell out of it as well. Plus a good spanking

[Damian Peterson]

more bias input coming in: it is rare to see this kind of amazing female talent on one stage, truly powerful to be a part of and to watch! word needs to get out for this gem

[Orla Mc Govern]

Go see this...wait...one more thing...
go see this.

[Louise Penberthy]

I just saw this with a bunch of my friends.  It is WONDERFUL.

And it closes next weekend!

[Joseph E Boling]

Sunday 28 May 2006: King John, upstart crow productions at the Capitol Hill Arts Center
   As soon as I saw the cast list for this show, I put it on my calendar as a "must see." This is an Actors' Equity Member Project Code production, so the best of Seattle's players were in the casting pool - as long as they were female. Turning the tables on Elizabethan Shakespearean practice, all the players are women. Costumes are faintly dated suits for the male roles and dresses for the ladies (and shorts for the princes in most of their scenes).
   This is one of the Bard's history series, covering the period when Prince John (of Robin Hood fame) had ascended the throne following the deaths of Richard Lionheart and Geoffrey, his older brothers. Geoffrey's widow (Constance) and the inconvenient prince whom he had left behind (Arthur) were living under the protection of the French court, waiting for the right time to assert Arthur's claim to the English throne. Meanwhile, the French and English continued their centuries-long skirmishes over various provinces on the French side of the channel. The play compresses a lot of this action into a few days.
   Checkmarks to Rosa Joshi for direction; to Amy Thone as King John; to Peggy Gannon as Philip, bastard son of Richard Lionheart; to Ki Gottberg as Constance; and to Christina Mastin as Cardinal Pandulph, the Papal legate. Honorable mentions to Therese Diekhans as John's mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine; to Sarah Harlett as John's son Henry; to M Elizabeth Kennedy as Hubert, citizen of Angiers and minion of John; to Patti West for lighting design; and to M Elizabeth Eller for sound design. There are five more players, and many additional roles picked up by all involved.
   My calendar notation was correct - this is a must-see event. The audience layout is not generous in its seat count, so don't wait until the last minute to get your tickets.