Theater Review: 'Pocket Shakespeare' at Phoenix Stage Company

By Nancy Sasso Janis

Phoenix Stage Company, a 100% volunteer not for profit community theater in Oakville, is presenting the return of “Pocket Shakespeare.” This year, the company offers thirty minute versions of “Hamlet” and “Much Ado About Nothing.”

The judiciously trimmed version of the two of Shakespeare’s most famous works are performed with one 15-minute intermission, so this makes for an early evening. The most important and familiar of the lines remain and there are a few bits of explanation to help the audience understand what is going on. This is more important for the tragedy of “Hamlet,” while the comedy of “Much Ado” stands alone nicely.

The same troupe of actors appear in both of these very different Shakespearean works. John Long has directed the talent group with a strong vision of how to make it understandable, while still retaining the beauty of The Bard’s language. Teresa Alexandru serves as stage manager and Rob Richnavsky was in charge of the impressive fight direction/choreography. Ed Bassett designed the Elizabethan costumes and Lori Poulin, Alexandru and Bassett collected the props that help set the scenes.

In “Hamlet,” the ghost of the King of Denmark tells his son Hamlet to avenge his murder by killing the new king, Hamlet's uncle. Hamlet feigns madness, contemplates life and death, and seeks revenge. His uncle, fearing for his life, also devises plots to kill Hamlet.

The pocket version of “Hamlet” is presented first. The fight choreographer tackles the title role of the Prince of Denmark. If there was ever any doubt that the gifted actor was born to play Shakespearean roles, this performance proves that this is indeed the case. We can’t take our eyes off of Richnavsky as he masterfully plays the tortured character.

‘Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince,/And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.’ - Horatio in “Hamlet”

Aric Calabrese gets to play Hamlet’s loyal friend Horatio, while Laura Sturges-Cortez shows off her stage combat swordplay skills in the role of Laertes, the son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia. Frank Beaudry gives a very strong performance in the role of Hamlet’s uncle, the newly elected King Claudius. Tori Richnavsky gracefully plays Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude and Shenelle Dupre portrays Polonius, Claudius's chief counselor, and the father of Ophelia and Laertes.

Caroline Ahlman is a beautiful Ophelia, the tortured lady in love with Hamlet. The stage manager appears briefly as a gravedigger carrying a shovel for her comedic turn. All of the remaining characters have been eliminated.

In the comedy “Much Ado About Nothing,” Claudio falls in love with Hero and their marriage is agreed upon. Beatrice and Benedick despise love and engage in comic banter. The others plot to make them fall in love with each other, by a trick in which Benedick will overhear his friends talking of Beatrice's supposed secret love for him, and vice versa.

After intermission and a set change, “Much Ado” begins. Rob Richnavsky takes on the role of Claudio, companion of Don Pedro and friend to Benedick, while his wife Tori dons a magnificent costume, wig and facial hair to play Leonato, governor of Messina and Hero's father. It is a pleasure to watch the couple perform together in this comedy.

Ahlman takes on the role of the lovely Hero, daughter of Leonato, and Dupre becomes Ursula, a waiting-gentlewoman attendant of Hero. Sturges-Cortez is perfectly cast in the role of Beatrice, the niece of Leonato.

Calabrese is adorable as the Prince and his funniest scene is when he and both of the Richnavskys are plotting their mischief. Beaudry is absolutely hysterical as confirmed bachelor Benedick, a lord and soldier from Padua and companion of Don Pedro. All other characters have been eliminated.

Coming up next at Phoenix Stage will be The Lady Jane Coughlin Mini-Golf Tournament on Sept. 9. Visit phoenixstagecompany.org for more information. There will also be a tag sale at the theater on Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m and Sept. 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theater reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, and she posts well over 100 reviews each year. She became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle in 2016. Her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted in the Naugatuck Patch as well as the Patch sites closest to the venue. She is also a feature writer and theater reviewer for the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column IN THE WINGS and theater reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the CCC Facebook page.