Review – Richard III in Bouffon

So I was sitting behind some middleagedlady who was reviewing the show at Mainline for one of the local newspapers and during intermission the middleagedwomen she brought with her said “I’m missing American Idol for this!?” and then the theatre student next to me asked the reviewer what she thought of the show and she replied “Not much….but at least I can see what they’re trying to do” and the theatre student was like “What are they trying to do?” and there was a long awkward silence. Then the reviewer was like “Well as long as it interests people in Shakespeare” and then the theatre student said “Well I might have to read it again because I’m not sure what’s happening”. Then I got up to get a beer.

Ok here’s some info on the art form of Bouffon from Wikipedia:

“Bouffon (Eng. “buffoon”, “jester”) is an art form which originally concerned the “ugly people” of France, during the French Renaissance…. excessively-ugly people, lepers, prostitutes, heretics, the mad, and those with disfiguring scars or deformities were “banished to the swamp” socially. But a notable exception was made during festivals, when the bouffons were expected to entertain the “beautiful people”…..During these performances, the bouffon’s goal was often to mock the beautiful people as much as possible. The bouffon might target verbal attacks at the leaders of mainstream society”

I’m not cutting and pasting any information on Richard III because you should have paid attention in English class. And if you did Merchant of Venice that semester instead…well tough.

Ok so the character of Richard the Third is Shakespeare’s most grotesque creation. He basically has no redeeming qualities even though there have been many (mostly 20th century) interpretations that have tried to argue otherwise. Ottawa’s Company of Fools understands this idea so profoundly that they have turned the whole play into a circus of human grotesqueties. With the help of body suits and makeup every cast member is turned into a freak either armless, deformed, or ummm a anthropomorphic penis. Richard himself is a JabbatheHut-ish cancerous lump moved from place to place upon a trolley by attendant cast members. Every character is played for dark parody with over the top acting, accents, out of script of jokes, and lots of simulated sexual play and innuendo. As everyone but Richard doubles or triples roles the cast soon blends together into a writing mass of unpleasantness.

This is truly the triumph of concept. Triumph over all that usual stuff found in theater like plot, acting, diverse characterization…you know…all that stuff. This turns the piece into a powerful meditation on human depravity; both physical and mental, that is present but restrained in Shakespeare’s script. Another interesting thing about subsuming so radically to concept is that Shakespeare’s sonorous phrases; the words themselves, become mostly decontextualized and zoom around the room to be enjoyed for their own terrible beauty – mostly devoid of meaning – like disturbing minor key music that kind of depresses you but you can’t stop listening.
ummm what else…Oh yeah…the opening of the play is probably one of the best stagings of the famous “winter of our disconnect” monologues ever. Whatever else one may think of the production that is one fact I’ll fistfight over. Also they gave us dinner buns to throw at the actors whenever we wanted. This was fun and sometimes the actors modified their acting in response to a bun (try another accent, stop their mock humping etc.)

Final Notes

Q: Jonathan, should I go see this ?
A: Yes.

Q: Jonathan will I like it ?
A: …..

Q: Jonathan can you sum up your review in one sentence?
A: I bet you their publicity person uses the phrase “daring interpretation” in their press releases.

Q; In your last review you used the word “aplomb”. In this review you used “sonorous phrases”, and “decontextualized” and “powerful meditation” – Is this not an example of wankery?
A: No comment.

Q: Is “grotesqueties” even a word?
A:….

Richard III in Bouffon
Feb 20-23, Wed-Sat, 8pm
at Mainline Theatre
3997 St. Laurent, Montreal QC
Reservations: 514-849-3378
Tickets: $17 includes tax, or $12 with Fourplay Card