Skip to main content
NELL GWYNN at FOLGER THEATRE

Nell Gwynn, Jessica Swale’s bright comedy about the Restoration stage,  may not be exact to every historical fact (which is based on questionable records anyway)—- but it is most true about the comic spirit of theater that survives. Nell kept her audiences laughing then and this show that resurrects her for an evening kept this audience quite happy.
A lusty king and his lovely mistress take the stage at Folger in celebration of the spirit of live theater. 
Alison Luff is the delightful Nell Gywnn to R. J. Foster’s charming royal Charles II of England.  
He would have dozens of mistresses. Regina Aqino plays two: Lady Castelmaine and Louise de Keroualle.
She would say he was the third Charles in her life.  Quinn Franzen plays the other significant Charles—Charles Hart  who would bring Nell to the stage that Charles II had opened up for professional actresses in the Restoration.  
Alas, for Edward Kynaston, played by Christopher Dinolfo, this would be the end when a royal warrant was issued for female roles to be played by actresses.
The play deftly darts from the stage to behind the scenes where John Dryden (Michael Glenn) as he  trys to write plays, Thomas Kiligrew (Nigel Gore) as the theater manager who  strives to keep the company going and Nancy as Nell’s personal dresser  (Catherine Flye).
Then  quickly it switches to the royal palace, for more drama among the other royal mistresses and the courtier.
Alex Michell as Ned Spigget,  Caitlin Cisco as Rose Gwynn, Kevin Collins as musician, and Jeff Keogh as Lord Arlington, and Zoe Speas as Queen Catherine round out the terrific cast. 
There is a movie in the works but for now what the Folger presents in real life  is about a  moment in theater history, (not just about the Restoration theater which has had its day),  and  shows what fun it still is in experiencing a show live.
NELL GWYNN at FOLGER THEATRE until March 10, 2019.

Popular posts from this blog

From EUGENE ONEGIN  to  DER ROSENKAVALIER  (Or Everything you want to know about love is at the MET OPERA) Great music and great literature meet on a great stage at the Met Opera’s production of Eugene Onegin on the big screen on April 25, 2017.  The words are Pushkin’s from his  Russian novel-poem.  The music is by Tchaikovsky  for what he termed “lyrical scenes.” Tchaikovsky’s music is forever embedded in our consciousness  with his fantasy ballets like  Nutcracker   and Swan Lake .   Pushkin’s work has provided the inspiration for dozens of musical works, including another famous Russian opera, Boris Godunov.     This team of Tchaikovsky and Pushkin is a sure thing but while there are many scholarly interpretations of Pushkin’s work, there is none that so gets it at its core as this opera. Using the very words from Pushkin’s poem,  Tchaikovsky built the opera through a series of powerful co...
Read more
THE GREY SUIT SOCIETY   A STORY OF FAITH, FAMILY, DEVOTION, BETRAYAL AND…RATS? A message that might seem so obvious in real life turns into a magic moment of awareness when it is takes to the stage with talented directors and a fine cast. Carlos Heredia is the actor, director and writer who with David Fletcher as music director has brought together a group of actors for a family friendly opera. Together they sounded as good as the show’s beautiful theme of peace. Who is the star of a show that is about family and devotion?   Leading the cast, is Analia Heredia as Nia who must go against society’s grain, to bring human hypocrisy into the light.   As she hopes to move out of the shadows in to a bright new world, her family includes Claudillea Holloway as Jelani,  Georgia Fender as Etana,  Sonya Rice as Achi, Carly Ameling as Jane,   Codie Milford as Omari,  Liz Neitge as Janna,  andTiana Markman as Dini. The “others” are ...
Read more
  Once is here again!   The Brooklyn Gallery Players reach into the treasure chest of great musicals to bring Once alive and on stage in Brooklyn (until to December 17, 2023). Director Mark Gallagher , and Music Directors David Fletcher and Brendon McCray have crafted a vibrant production, seamlessly integrating the 15 member cast in roles  as both actors and musicians. Set in Dublin, the  formula for the poignant love triangle  is simple. Patrick Newhart  plays Guy, an Irish musician who has given up  on love as he sings the award winning classic  Falling.  Newhart mastered the bombastic busking guitar style and performed each of his songs with intensity and passion Sophie Smith-Brody  is Girl,  a Czech woman  who will inspire him to try again both in  love and with music. Smith-Brody performed each of her disparate songs with aplomb,  from the opening classical piece to her plaintive solos – If You Want...
Read more