Review: Cymbeline by NY Classical

The New York Classical Theatre has produced a lively Cymbeline this season. There is some controversy over the categorization of the play itself (many say “romance”), but NY Classical leaned into the comedy for a production that the audience can thoroughly enjoy.

Christian Ryan (Iachimo) portrayed exactly the frenemy of Posthumus who would bet on a woman’s immorality, and Evan Moore-Coll (Cloten) executed the bumbling idiot wondrously. Arguably the most striking aspect of the production is the vocal quality of the entire cast. Each of the actors boasts an incredibly well-trained voice—a voice that is, frankly, a downright pleasure to hear for the length of the production (approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes). Kudos to Voice & Speech Coach Cynthia Santos-DeCure!

That said, each actor delivered their lines with practically the same intonation and number of stresses. At times, this took some of the life out of the lines. The actors delivered their lines with a great sense of play with the audience; however, entire scenes felt like [aside] moments because the actors interacted more with the audience than with each other.

With the cast comprised of seven members, six were cast in multiple roles. The transitions between characters were smooth and artful, especially those of actor Terrell Wheeler (Pisanio/Caius Lucius). Wheeler’s neutral grace during the costume changes, and his portrayal of each character, distinct in physicality and voice, were the marks of an expert. However, some transitions too so smooth for their own good: for example, one actor (Brandon Burk) portraying both Posthumus and Guiderius could easily be confusing.

NY Classical’s shows take place in parks around New York City, and the actors are well-versed in interacting with their surroundings. For example, trees inspired the actors’ physical comedy, and the East River sparked a joke very well-received by the audience. Cymbeline was particularly well-suited to the park setting. Among the trees, anything natural or mysterious can take place, from sword-fighting to a surprise appearance from Jove.

NY Classical was true to their name: this was a classical production of Shakespeare. With many productions choosing to set Shakespeare in different places and time periods (a choice which has its merits), it is particularly satisfying to see Shakespeare’s text in its natural habitat.

Cymbeline is a fairly niche choice, and director Stephen Burdman was up for the challenge: the production was unique and enjoyable. And, once again, what a joy to hear such mellifluous voices!

photo credit: NY Classical