KING JOHN by William Shakespeare, directed by James Wallis, with Lesley Robertson, Sochi Fried, James Graham, Catherine Rainville, Tim Welham, Kate Werneburg and Jeff Yung. Presented by Shakespeare BASHd at Junction City Music Hall (2907 Dundas West). Opens Tuesday (November 17) and runs to Saturday (November 21) at 7:30 pm, matinee Saturday 2 pm. $19 online, $20 door. shakespearebashd.com.
Lesley Robertsons played a number of Shakespeares characters, including Cordelia in King Lear and the Nurse in Romeo And Juliet. Shes also had fun with Constance, who gets caught up in the action of two Shakespearean tragedies in Ann-Marie MacDonalds Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet).
Now she has a different challenge: performing the title role in the Bards King John.
Though the play isnt done frequently, youll likely know the character in a different context: hes the villain in the Robin Hood stories, the acting king of England while his brother Richard is off at the Crusades, and the guy to whom the Sheriff of Nottingham reports.
Most of my work has been playing characters who are vulnerable and comedic, says Robertson, who first impressed me in her final year at George Brown Theatre. My challenge here hasnt so much been the gender switch but rather playing a powerful and manipulative political leader.
Its exciting to have big speeches and grand issues to deal with, to create a figure who has so much more scope than many Ive played.
Shakespeare BASHd has set up such a good playground for trying ideas like gender-switching roles. They usually perform in a relaxed bar setting without relying on sets or costumes the aim is straight-up storytelling rather than historical accuracy.
In fact, director James Wallis gives a framework to the play: the audience watches the performers putting on their costumes and getting ready for the performance.
Its as if were saying to the viewers, were a bunch of young actors who are going to tell you a tale come along with us and accept the liberties were taking. James has used punk rock, in terms of music as well as costumes that rely on leather and chains, to suit the bar setting and highlight the plays theme of oppression.
John spends much of the play dealing with possible successors, fighting the French and the Pope and being politically cagey.
His main drive is power, being in control of his realm. I think he starts the play with that control and relies on the advice of his astute mother, but in the second half, because of making poor political decisions based on impulse, he loses what he held.
I see him initially as a smart, powerful ruler, but Ive stayed away from the bad John of the Robin Hood tales. I dont think Shakespeare wanted to focus on some of his nasty actions rather we watch the tragedy of a king with his own sort of hubris. I want my John to show some human vulnerability.
At the same time, Robertson knows that John is a hard character to get inside.
He mostly orders people around the text doesnt give you much sense of how he feels about those around him or the choices he makes. Most Shakespearean characters are clear about how they feel, but John is trickier. Sometimes I wonder if hes being truthful in what he says I just have to make those decisions on my own because he changes his mind and his tactics so many times.
