THEATER REVIEW:

Local theatergoers have been exposed to a wide variety of plays from William Shakespeare, both in the comic and tragic veins, but some — such as “Measure for Measure” — are rarely, if ever, produced.

UCI’s drama department has resurrected one of Shakespeare’s most enigmatic and inaccessible plays and demonstrates just why, despite some sterling performances, “Measure for Measure” is pretty much avoided.

Director Phil Thompson — in his modern-dress, almost futuristic staging — draws a parallel between the sexual hypocrisy of the Bard’s work and the chicanery prevalent in high government circles today. Some weaknesses for pleasures of the flesh simply never go out of style.

In “Measure,” a Viennese duke voluntary effects a temporary abdication, placing a rigidly moral subordinate in his office while the real duke dons the robes of a monk and observes his successor’s transgressions unnoticed. Just why he does this is not important — at least it wasn’t to Shakespeare.

Paramount to the story is the plight of a chaste young woman whose brother is condemned to die for the crime of fornication. She can save his life by surrendering herself to the young duke.

Tyler Seiple portrays the true ruler with alacrity, though it’s an uneven interpretation. Michael Doonan is properly aloof and closed-minded as his unbending successor, while David Hudson impresses as their functionary.

The performance of the evening, however, comes from Camelia Poespowidjojo as the condemned man’s sister. It’s a brutal, viscerally wrenching account, transcending the boundaries of the script. Her doomed brother is given a frighteningly sincere portrayal by Joseph Johnson.

Nathan C. Crocker virtually swipes the proceedings as a clever street hustler, while Stephanie Philo makes the most of her limited stage time as a hooker aptly christened Mistress Overdone.

Greg Washburn also is quite strong as a determined constable.

As the sexual drama plays out, Shakespeare elicits an old flame to douse the pretender duke’s passion, and Grace Gealey turns in a marvelous account in this role. Paul Culos stands out as a street “bawd” inserted for atmospheric content.

“Measure for Measure” may not measure up to the most familiar of Shakespearean plays, but UCI’s production is lively and enjoyable.

While UCI’s theater department tackles Shakespeare, the university’s dance department will be busy next weekend as well with a one-weekend-only production titled “Physical Graffiti.”

Fifteen undergraduate choreographers will present 13 original works, ranging from tap and ballet to modern/contemporary, in this annual talent showcase. Assistant professor Loretta Livingston is artistic director for the 90-minute program.

The dance presentation will take the stage of the Claire Trevor Theatre at 8 p.m. today to Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee Saturday. Tickets are $9, $11 and $19, and may be ordered by calling the UCI box office at (949) 824-2787 or visiting www.arts.uci.edu/events.

 

WHAT: “Measure for Measure”

WHERE: UCI Studio Theatre

WHEN: Closing performances 8 p.m. tonight and Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday

COST: $10

CALL: (949) 824-2787

OCC down home with “Much Ado”

Blend OCC’s penchant for down-home melodrama with the silliest of Shakespeare’s comedies, shake until all the fat is gone and the running time is reduced to 80 minutes, and you’ll have OCC’s current production of “Much Ado About Nothing.”

The Bard got the title right, if little else, and director Alex Golson performs a kind of dramatized CliffsNotes on the script while conceptualizing it as a feeble attempt at culture in a 19th-century cow town (probably in Texas).

This, then, is how the local yokels would have produced Shakespeare a century and a half ago, accents intact, and somehow it works. Patrons are advised to check their shootin’ irons at the door to avoid a repeat of what happened during last year’s production of “Othello.”

Whatever Golson has excised from “Much Ado” apparently wasn’t all that crucial to begin with, since the expurgated version hits the story’s high points quite nicely. The antagonism between Beatrice (Veronica Vaters) and Benedick (A.J. Baudisch), which turns to romance with a little help from their friends, is well-played on both accounts.

The ever-specious disenchantment of Benedick’s buddy Claudio (Christoph Vu) for the fair Hero (Ashley Baudish) remains an uncomfortable plot point, even though it sets up the joyous finale.

For OCC’s purposes, town governor Leonato has become Loenata (Samantha Wellen), the result of too few men auditioning for the play.

Surrounded by collegians, a pair of veteran actors score in two juicier roles — faculty member (and set designer) David Scaglione as the evil Don John and Shawn Greenfield as the confused watch commander Dogberry.

The latter, in particular, pulls out all the comical stops of his assignment. As arguably Shakespeare’s weakest play, “Much Ado” is well suited for Golson’s concept of yee-hawing rubes taking their shots at a classic.

It’s mercifully brief and a heck of a lot of fun.

WHAT: “Much Ado About Nothing”

WHERE: OCC

WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, closing 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 18

COST: $10 to $12

CALL: (714) 432-5880 or www.occtickets.com

TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews appear Thursdays.