STAGE REVIEW : A Cloudy ‘Twelfth Night’

Don’t be late when you go see “Twelfth Night” at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa. You’ll miss more than the start of the play. The best aspects of the production begin before it, and they begin outside the theater, on the way in.

They are a visually and aurally striking re-creation of a Caribbean carnival procession, presumably based on the Jamaican Jonkonnu, if we correctly interpret consulting dramaturg Judith Bettelheim’s program notes. That is a fact this writer is in no position to confirm but can assure you doesn’t make any difference.

Clearly, a large effort has been made to recreate some kind of authentic ritual and, theatrically speaking, that’s all that matters. The procession’s captivating look and sound seem like the real thing, the composite offspring of the strolling musicians of the terrific Djimbe West African Dancers and Drummers, director David Chambers’ extensive research, Bruno Bettelheim’s educational contributions and the extraordinary work of designers Ralph Funicello (sets, masks, puppets and props) and Shigeru Yaji (brilliant, variegated costumes).

As a result, Chambers, who proved a force to reckon with when he staged Howard Korder’s stunning “Search and Destroy” at South Coast in 1990, has created a “Twelfth Night” in which context very nearly outstrips text. The ambience of carnival, masks, music, dancing and vivid color emblazons the experience of Shakespeare’s play to the point of bleaching out some of the heart within it.

This is not an ideal situation, although the production has enough clever business to slump infrequently and not for long. Still, it is an unintended reversal of emphasis, abetted by the fact that some of the lesser roles are performed by young actors who have the words right but not the force behind them. Richard Allen’s Antonio, S. Kyle Parker’s Sebastian, Darryl Scott’s Fabian and Bryant K. Rolle’s Curio can all stand punching up. They might look for guidance to Art Koustik and David Kirkwood, who, in equally small parts, bring real dimension to them.

Things are better in the leading roles, but not well. Tom Ramirez’s Orsino, for instance, is entirely too self-possessed to pine for anyone, and he gives little indication of a growing interest in Viola/Cesario, the latter played by Gina Spellman with more tenderness than spirit and with a similar detachment. This remoteness between them makes the final scenes of revelation and union peculiarly bereft of chemistry, with Ramirez looking over his future wife as he might a prize heifer. It’s more a market evaluation of a considered investment than a show of affection or love.

Lynnda Ferguson, on the other hand, makes a deliciously spontaneous, unpouting and, yes, spirited Olivia, and Juanita Jennings a brash, no-nonsense Maria. But Richard Doyle’s Sir Toby Belch is very much by-the-numbers, not giving his scenes rowdiness or bluster or presenting adequate counterweight for Hal Landon Jr.’s charmingly pixilated Aguecheek.

The coolness of this ruling class, in contrast to the hotness of the servants and the environment, presents a problem for Malvolio that Jarion Monroe solves only partially. He certainly comes off as an absolute pill but the emotional distance between him and the others is narrower here--and even the sure comedic bets, such as the letter-finding scene and his cross-gartering, come off as more straining to be funny than funny.

The person who saves the day is Ben Halley Jr., whose iconoclastic Feste is simply first-rate--a big, lumbering fool indeed, a fool who doesn’t mind playing the fool, or suffering fools, even buying into some Stepin Fetchit images to do it, but a smart fool who always lands on his feet and who knows how much more he knows than what his masters know. He is a living reminder of Andre Gide’s contention that the wisest thing to do in life is to have the courage to appear the fool.

One other thing lost in this seductive orgy of sound, construct and color is the darkness behind Malvolio’s final threat: “I’ll be revenged on the whole pack of you.” It seems a particularly empty threat in a production that may have missed its best opportunity in this moment. If the ruling class is so hapless and cold, it would seem the perfect foil for revolution and fascism. But we may now be talking about “Twelfth Night, the Sequel.”

‘Twelfth Night’

Tom Ramirez: Orsino

Gina Spellman: Viola

Richard Doyle: Sir Toby Belch

Juanita Jennings: Maria

Hal Landon Jr.: Sir Andrew Aguecheek

Ben Halley Jr.: Feste

Lynnda Ferguson: Olivia

Jarion Monroe: Malvolio

Richard Allen :Antonio

S. Kyle Parker: Sebastian

Darryl Scott: Fabian

Art Koustik: A sea captain/A priest

Bryant K. Rolle: Curio/Officer

David Kirkwood: Valentine/Officer

Tracy Douglas: Dancer

Aisha Jenkins: Dancer

Director David Chambers. Playwright William Shakespeare. Sets Ralph Funicello. Lights Tom Ruzika. Costumes Shigeru Yaji. Music by members of the Djimbe West African Dancers and Drummers. Musical direction Leon L. Mobley. Choreographer Sylvia C. Turner. Consulting dramaturg Judith Bettelheim. Production manager Edward Lapine. Stage manager Julie Haber. Assistant stage manager Scott Harrison.