The spotlight is on Shakespeare in the Park with The Public Theater's latest production of "Troilus and Cressida.” NY1’s Roma Torre filed the following review.
"Troilus and Cressida" is classified as one of several “problem plays” by Shakespeare. It is flawed and yet, like all of the Bard’s works, there are flights of lyrical poetry and human insight. And while its tone shifts abruptly from comedy to romance to tragedy, Daniel Sullivan’s first rate Shakespeare in the Park production manages to solve many of its problems.
It’s set during the Trojan War with the Greeks which has been raging for seven year. A malaise has settled in on both sides, and while it’s all unquestionably bleak, Sullivan’s modern dress production manages to smooth over the tonal shifts quite effectively, staging the romantic scenes with great fervor and the comedy as pointed satire.
Of course, directorial brilliance can only go so far without an able cast, and this one comprised of veterans and rookies is sublime. The title characters Andrew Burnap and Ismenia Mendes must run the gamut of emotions, and they do so movingly and with conviction. Corey Stoll, familiar from screen roles, plays the shrewd Ulysses impressively. Another TV face - Max Casella - is unrecognizable as the profane fool Thersites. A big nod to Louis Cancelmi - a last minute replacement as slacker warrior Achilles absolutely kills it. And John Glover is outstanding as the addled meddler Pandarus.
As laudable as the production is, some problems do remain. A reading of the synopsis is essential. The first act can feel awfully long and confusing. But audiences sleep no more in the second act featuring battle sequences right out of “Call of Duty” and some very terrific fight choreography. This is not an easy play, but given our own unsolvable problems echoing global conflicts today, there is much gold to be mined here.