By JOHN BONAZZO
THEATER CRITIC

A year after staging one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies, Julius Caesar, the Theatrical Outreach Program (TOP) has put on a merry production of the Bard’s first comedy, The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Thanks to great direction, superb technical work and top-drawer acting, this production brings the year in Fordham theater to a highly-satisfying close.

The play centers on Valentine and Proteus, two friends searching for love and adventure in Verona. Valentine leaves for Milan to seek opportunity, but Proteus remains at home to court his love Julia. He ends up having to go to Milan anyway, though, but before his departure he and Julia profess their love for each other. In Milan, Valentine has fallen for Silvia, but their romance is complicated when Proteus arrives and is entranced by her as well. Silvia’s father banishes Valentine for his transgressions, and he becomes the leader of a gang of outlaws. Julia comes to Milan, and when she sees her betrothed in love with Silvia, she disguises herself as a page to investigate. Silvia still loves Valentine, and the two, along with Proteus and Julia, confront each other in the forest. Repentance and love end up prevailing, as this classic is one of Shakespeare’s happier plays.

The complicated plot may seem confused on stage, but co-directors Ricky Bordelon and AJ Golio make sure all the action is executed cleanly and crisply on the Collins Theatre stage. Their obvious effort has paid off.

They are aided by the great set, costumes and lights of James Demetriades. The set is simple, consisting of a few black sheets and some chairs, but this allows the viewer’s imagination to refreshingly run free. The period costumes seem tailor-made for this type of story; each article of clothing was chosen well. The lighting is relatively natural in the indoor scenes, but in the forest scenes they are given a green tint, giving the audience a sense of place without having to change any other element.

The cast speaks Shakespeare’s words with wit and relish. Giancarlo Milea is a charismatic lead, effortlessly bringing forth the romance and humor of his lines. Max Beyer effectively shows the mix of love and pain in Proteus’s heart. Jenna Isabella, whether playing Julia as page or object of affection, makes the audience feel for her character. Libby Wooton does great, funny work as Silvia, making it seem natural that two men are fighting over her. Jane Skapek and Wilmarie Cintrón-Muniz are comic highlights as the pages Speed and Launce, who make Shakespearean wars of words natural and funny. Playing two strict fathers, to Silvia and Proteus, Vincent Pellizzi exudes both authority and paternal love effortlessly.

TOP’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona lets one of the Bard’s lesser-known plays have its day.

(In the interest of full discretion, Ricky Bordelon, one of the production’s directors, serves as the Opinion Editor at The Fordham Ram.)

Categories: Arts & Entertainment