Calling all Janeites!
Calling all Janeites! Mr. Henry
Dashwood has died, leaving his home to John, son from his first marriage, and
John’s scheming wife, Fanny, who has convinced her husband to banish his father’s
second wife and her three daughters from their home, relegating them to Barton
Cottage in Devonshire. The shock of it all! A mere cottage! And the three young women, two of marriageable
age, Elinor and Marianne, have no attachments and the bereft Dashwood women
have but a very small inherited income.
If you are an inveterate Jane Austen enthusiast, you of course recognize
this as the beginning of Sense
and Sensibility, her first novel published in 1811. It is a whirlwind novel of scandal, gossip, attachments
made and attachments broken, the manners and mores of Regency England, and of
course love.
Here is a wonderful adaptation written by Kate Hamill for
the stage which opened last night, and a high energy production by FAU’s Department
of Theatre and Dance. Ultimately, the
affections of the steadfast Edward Ferrars, and the stalwart Colonel Brandon
win over the sensible Elinor and the mercurial Marianne, respectively, but
before that much anticipated denouement, we are treated to a dizzying array of
plot complications and impediments to love conquering all.
The cast made up mostly of MFA Graduate Students and two equity
actors are all equally professional. If
this is the future of South Florida Theater, it will flourish. It is a large cast including several members
of “gossip groups,” sort of a Greek Chorus which brings the audience into the
temper of the times. Hilariously, they
also function as dogs and horses in the play, just adding more action to what
is already a lot of moving parts on stage as the minimalist scenery is on
wheels and the cast is constantly moving them into new places. Comedic elements
emerge throughout the production
Although it is impossible to comment on each and every
performer (complete cast list below), they are all very convincing, but a
special call out to Jessica Eaton who plays Fanny, her malice giving no
grounds, and Traven Call who captures the essence of dog, horse, and finally
the foppish brother of Edward, Robert Ferris. Amanda Corbett plays Elinor and Gabriela
Tortoledo is Marianne, both performing flawlessly in these two demanding major
roles.
What makes this production so enjoyable is the period Regency
costumes (Dawn Shamburger), the music of the times (Sound Design by Rich
Szczublewski), the fast moving choreography (kudos to Jean-Louis Baldet the Director
and Suzanne Clement Jones, Stage Manager), and, again, a cast thoroughly
committed to their craft. Technical and
Lighting Design is by Thomas M. Shorrock, and K. April Soroko is Scenic Designer.
A special mention goes to the Dialect
Coach Jenna Wyatt -- getting that right is half the battle in such a
production.
If there is one minor quibble (not to me personally, but it
might be to some) it is the length, more than 2-1 / 2 hours including intermission. Of course a familiarity with the novel would
be helpful. If you haven’t read it,
there is always Wikipedia. But after you’ve
seen it, maybe you will want to read it as well as all of Jane Austen and
become a Janeite like my wife Ann!
CAST
Elinor Dashwood...................................Amanda
Corbett+
Marianne Dashwood.............................Gabriela
Iortoledo+
Margaret Dashwood..............................Abby
Nigro
Mrs. Dashwood.....................................Kathryn Lee
Johnston*
John Dashwood/Dr. Harris/Gossip E...Gray West+
Edward Ferrars......................................Sean
Patrick Gibbons+
Fanny (Ferrars) Dashwood....................Jessica
Eaton+
Colonel Brandon....................................Stephen Kaiser+
John Willoughby....................................Zak
Westfall+
Sir John Middleton................................Barry
Tarallo*
Mrs. Jennings.........................................Rachel Finley+
Lucy Steele/Gossip C.............................Laura M. Goetz
Anne Steele/Gossip D............................Savannah Marino
Robert Ferrars/Gossip E........................Trayven Call+
Gossip A.................................................Tara
Collandra
Gossip B.................................................Erin
Williams+
*Member of the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA)
+ M.F.A. Graduate Student
 |
| Amanda Corbett, Sean Patrick Gibbons and Gabriela Tortoledo -Photo by Zak Westfall |
Sense and Sensibility has Friday – Sunday performances 7
p.m. June 23 through July 22 with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday as
well at Studio One Theatre, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca
Raton.
