Word: ducey
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...Ducey holds up admirably throughout the production. He is a thoroughly human Pizarro--cynical, yet not a stranger to hope. He is authoritative but quick to praise his men. And Ducey successfully captures the complex contradictions inherent in his character--while Pizarro has genuine respect and love for the Incan god incarnate, Atahuallpa, he is aware of his duty to the Spanish crown and church...
Given the problems inherent in the subject matter coupled with a largely indistinguishable ensemble cast, the talented performances offered by John Ducey as Pizarro and Peter Mitchell in the role of Hernando De Soto are unexpected gems. These two stand alone among their 20 or so comrades as actors who can captivate the audience...
Thankfully, Royal Hunt of the Sun manages to rise above the Peruvian swamp in which its characters (and audience) find themselves, but only when Ducey or Mitchell is permitted on stage. As Spanish explorers curious about the culture they hope to subsume, they provide the best moments in the play. Mercifully, the play becomes less patriarchal than anthropological when Pizarro and De Soto stop being conquerors and become students...
...Ducey's strong performance detracts from the presence of Pizarro's intended foil--his idealistic young apprentice, Martin Ruiz. This is actually a good thing since Ruiz's character is generally weak. We are supposed to view the action through the eyes of Pizarro's young apprentice, but Ruiz is too dull to wrest the audience's attention from the veteran explorer...
Jerry has perhaps the play's most complex views on the topic, but Ducey unfortunately gives the most wooden performance. He has strong material with which to work; Jerry's insistence that he is bothered only by the revelation of deceit rather than the deceit itself is fascinating. But Ducey spends so much time staring at the floor or posing like James Dean that he manages to hold the audience's attention only sporadically...