Original Review

By Julie Jensen

Getting with the program in a Prenzie Players production is easier when they do Shakespeare than when they choose a little-known 17th century Spanish play, “Life’s A Dream.”

You usually know the plot in Shakespeare, but the convoluted story line of the play by Pedro Calderon de la Barca is outside the experience of most of us.

The horoscope of the infant Prince, Sigismund, convinces the Polish King Vasily that the child is destined to bring dishonor on his country and disaster to his father. The king therefore says Sigismund died with his mother at birth and confines him in a dark tower, where he is chained and caged like an animal.

Then the king decides to bring his son to court to see if he is fit to reign. He is drugged and brought to the palace. He meets his cousins, Aistulf and Stella, and falls in love with the latter. He tries to attack the king, is drugged and returned to prison, where he is convinced the whole experience was just a dream.

Cutting to the chase, he is rescued by revolting Polish troops, assumes the throne and claims Stella.

Audience members are moved from the dark prison stage to the bright throne room and back several times. When you first enter the prison stage, a manacled nude male is lying on the floor. This is Sigismund played with intensity by Eddie Staver III. Although he leaps and crawls everywhere in his chains, he manages to preserve his modesty.

The only question one might have is how can he speak in such eloquent terms when there’s no clue as to how he might have been educated under these circumstances.

Maggie Woolley is Rossaura, the traveler, and sometimes it’s hard to hear her lines, but her passion is evident.

Jeff De Leon is amusing in the role of Bugle, the servant, singing, “Lord, I am a drinking man.” Pretending to be the prince, he says, “Cows will give vodka instead of milk.”

Jeremy Mahr, as always, is imposing in the role of Clothold, Chamberlain of Poland, and Andy Koski is the epitome of dapper elegance in his formal attire as Aistulf, Duke of Muscovy.

Kristin Skaggs is a pretty Stella, Princess of Poland, smiling beguilingly, and Tracy Skaggs is a regal Vasily, King of Poland.

The palace guard is led by Denise Yoder as Captain Doloreta. Stephanie Moeller plays Private Cecylia and is also the Grand Marshal Czeslawa in the only double roles of the play.

The rest of the troops are Dustin Oliver, Jaci Entwisle, Daniel Gildersleeve and Amanda Johnson.

The scene in which Sigismund throws the grand marshal from the balcony into the sea is a gasper that makes up for the interminable length of time King Vasily seems to stand in that spot staring into the distance.

The improv lines of the pre-show are fairly indistinguishable, but the off-stage battle noises are loud and clear. The play has two intermissions, so plan to stay for awhile.

The next production of the Prenzie Players will be “The Merchant of Venice” in September.