➤ FERN HILL, from p.28
The piece isn’t perfect, however.
Tucker tends to make points with
rather too much emphasis. An exegesis
on making spaghetti with
clam sauce goes on too long and
slows the action. The camaraderie
of the men is clichéd and often
feels forced, whereas the women
seem more natural with one another.
It’s obvious that Tucker is
trying to show how the two sexes
express intimacy differently, but it
comes off as facile more often than
not. When the men do get real with
each other, it’s a relief because it
feels authentic. These are small
points overall, but they dilute the
play’s focus and threaten to tip it
over into sitcom territory.
Fortunately, the cast is outstanding.
Mark Blum and Jill Eikenberry
are Sunny and Jer, with Mark
Linn-Baker and Jodi Long as Billy
and Michikio, and John Glover
and Ellen Parker as Vincent and
Darla. Blum is particularly good
➤ CAESAR & CLEOPATRA, from p.27
plain” moment when he urges her
to defi antly chant over and over, “I
am Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.”
Connecting the dots in the narrative
is Cleopatra’s chief nurse,
Ftatateeta, who addresses the audience
intermittently throughout.
Played with fervor by Brenda Braxton,
she is a strong female fi gure
that rivals Cleopatra.
There are too many subplots involving
military battles, Egyptian
and Roman gods, power grabs,
and beheadings to recount here.
It’s no surprise, however, that in
the end, Cleopatra reigns supreme,
primed for her next chapter — an
entanglement with Mark Antony,
one of Caesar’s successors after
his infamous murder.
Staller has created a sort of
theatrical fantasia, full of wonder
and mysticism, and has chosen to
mine the text for comic relief. The
10-year-old Ptolemy, for example,
is portrayed by a Jim Hensonesque
puppet, emphasizing the
strict control that his guardian,
Pothinus (Rajesh Bose), has over
him. There’s a running joke where
Caesar mocks Ftatateeta’s name.
The scene where Caesar and his
disciples must fl ee during a fi erce
siege by diving into the Mediterranean
as the confl icted Jer, and Glover’s
Vincent is bright and complicated,
which serves the character well.
Under Nadia Tass’ direction the
production is fl uid and manages,
for the most part, to combine the
serious and the sociable that characterizes
long-term adult friendships.
Most importantly, all involved
deserve high marks for delivering
an entertaining evening that fearlessly
confronts the fi nal act of the
human comedy.
BETRAYAL | Bernard B. Jacobs
Theatre | 242 W. 45th St. | Through
Dec. 8: Tue.-Thu. at 7 p.m.; Fri.-Sat.
at 8 p.m.; Wed., Sat. at 2 p.m.; Sun.
at 3 p.m. | $25-$189 at telecharge.
com or 212-239-6200 | Ninety mins.,
no intermission
FERN HILL | 59E59 | 59 E. 59th
St. | Through Oct. 20: Tue.-Sat. at
7 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. at 2 p.m. | $55-
$70 at 59e59.org or 646-892-7999 |
Two hrs., with intermission
is played for laughs.
Brian Prather’s surreal set, featuring
a wooden framework draped
in white fabric, is a versatile backdrop
for the action, whether in a
palace or a seaport. Tracy Christensen’s
appealing white costumes
with lavish gold accessories are
pitch-perfect.
The stylization is carried through
in the details, like a sword made not
of metal but of white foam board.
Blood that is spilled is represented
by a bright crimson ribbon.
On its own, this “Caesar & Cleopatra”
can prove a challenge. But
in the context of Shaw’s oeuvre, it’s
a fascinating piece of the puzzle.
And if you were lucky enough to
see the recent revival of “My Fair
Lady,” the musicalized version of
“Pygmalion,” at Lincoln Center,
the parallels are nothing short of
astonishing. Kudos to Gingold for
having the courage to resuscitate
this highly theatrical albeit problematic
work.
CAESAR & CLEOPATRA | Gingold
Theatrical Group | Theatre
Row, 410 W. 42nd St. | Through Oct.
12: Tue.-Thu. at 7:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat.
at 8 p.m.; Sat. at 2 p.m.; Sun. at 3
p.m. | $69 at telecharge.com or 212-
239-6200 | Two hrs., 15 mins., with
intermission
WHERE CULTURE
TICKETS FROM
KINGSTHEATRE.COM
1027 FLATBUSH AVENUE
BROOKLYN, NY 11226
IS KING
GayCityNews.com | September 26 - October 9, 2019 33
/KINGSTHEATRE.COM
/telecharge.com
/59e59.org
/GayCityNews.com