Word: sorceror
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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What makes the play memorable, though, is the virtuoso acting of Ben Evett as Ariel and Kerrick Johnson as Caliban, the sorceror Prospero's two slaves. Ariel and Caliban are pivotal figures, representing the opposing realms of Air and Earth that lie at the heart of Shakespeare's thematic dilemma. And in this production, Evett and Johnson can hardly do wrong, expertly treading the line between man and spirit that make these two of Shakespeare's more difficult roles...
...Queen, it seems, has chosen Tamino to help her retrieve her beautiful daughter Pamina from the evil clutches of the Sorceror Sarastro, the Queen's devilish adversary. Setting out for Sarastro's palace with comedic bird-catcher Papageno for company and a magic flute to charm away all evils, Tamino eventually finds Pamina unscathed and virtue intact but ready for love once the right man has come along...
Lack-luster though it was, The Sorceror is not without some good performances. Lisa Zeidenberg, playing the beautiful Aline, dazzled the audience with an elegant and refined voice. She sang with precise diction--an important factor in making fast-paced Gilbert and Sullivan verse comprehensible. Aline is engaged to marry the wealthy Alex Poindextre (played by Paul Moreaux), a naive Richie Rich who dreams of saving the world through a magical universal love. Alex's exploits create a mid-summer night's dream love tangle, where everyone falls in love with their personality opposite. Though Moreaux played the part...
Singing aside, Tucker McCrady's playing of the sorcerer who sold the love potion to Alex had the sold-out audience roaring with laughter. However, his one-liners and humorous antics could not save The Sorceror from an overall lack of energy. The blame for this major flaw falls on the shoulders of director Thomas P. Large. His attempt to spice up the play with jokes not originally in the script failed to enliven his production...
...whole, The Sorceror suffers less from such strains as from lack of energy and an oddly somber tone. One's expectations for the liveliness of a Gilbert and Sullivan highlight this failing. If you've never seen a Gilbert and Sullivan play before, you might enjoy this performance. But if you've seen one before, you may not want to see them...