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Austin360 blogs > Austin Arts: Seeing Things > Archives > 2010 > February > 11 > Entry
Review: Austin Shakespeare’s ‘Mary Stuart’
Spin, image control and bitter party rivalries may be part of our current political climate, but it turns out we’ve got nothing on the drama-heavy Tudors.
The legendary political rivalry between the Queen of Scotland, Mary Stuart, and England’s Queen Elizabeth is at the heart of Austin Shakespeare’s mostly satisfying production of “Mary Stuart.” Directed by Ann Ciccolella, the show is the regional premiere of Peter Oswald’s dynamic new translation of Friedrich Schiller’s historical drama.
The beautiful and much-beloved Mary Stuart (Helen Merino) is sentenced to death for the supposed crime of plotting to assassinate her cousin Queen Elizabeth of England (Pamela Christian), who now holds the power to decide Mary’s fate. But with Elizabeth worried about her grasp on power and reluctant to take responsibility for the decision, trusted advisors (some loyal, some not) offer her conflicting advice.
Figuring out where true loyalties lie is part of the fun. Who is telling the truth? Who is in love with whom? Who’s right? Who’s wrong? The drama culminates in a fictional confrontation between the two rivals where they are forced to face the reality of the other.
The highlights of “Mary Stuart” are the superb performances of the two female leads. Merino plays Mary Stuart with vibrant intelligence and heart. As Queen Elizabeth, Christian is all effortless royalty and biting humor. She creates a nuanced portrait of a queen hesitant to lead, struggling to be a “female king.” Among her entourage of advisors, Dirk Van Allen stands out as the refreshingly down to earth Earl of Shrewsbury.
At times the energy of the (very long) show seems to drag and the staging occasionally becomes stagnant. But overall, the fascinating portrayal of female power and the poetry of Oswald’s fresh translation make “Mary Stuart” a worthwhile re-imagining of a conflict between two compelling historical figures.
‘Mary Stuart’ continues 8 p.m. Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 28. Rollins Studio Theater, Long Center. $23-$35, with $15 student tickets. www.thelongcenter.org
Claire Canavan is an American-Statesman freelance critic.
Photo by Kimberley Mead.
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By KAY TAEBEL
February 22, 2010 9:51 AM | Link to this
JEAN- THANKS FOR PRINTING CLAIRE CANAVAN’S REVIEW OF MARY STUART AT THE LONG CTR—SAW IT SUNDAY AND IT WAS FINE! IT IS SO THRILLING TO HEAR THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SPOKEN WELL—- ESPECIALLY PROPER GRAMMAR!! YES!! YES!! DOWN WITH THE “ME” FOR “I” AND… NOT A “LIKE” IN THE SCRIPT! KAY TAEBEL