Arcadia

The John Hand Theatre: 4/12-5/17

What happens in the garden has been plumbed from the Eden of Genesis to the final chapters of Voltaire’s “Candide.” There is nearly always some sort of mischief afoot, and a century or two later there are always academic detectives to ferret out the meaning and unravel the mystery.

In a nutshell, that is what “Arcadia” is about. However, one cannot as Hamlet says quite have “Arcadia’s life ‘bounded in a nut shell lest we should have bad dreams.” The pastoral elegance of Arcadia looks ever so appealing in its nineteenth century aspect. But then the good old days often take on a rosy glow when viewed through the lens of the present/future.

The academic research and squabbling displayed by the central characters of the contemporary part of the play provide exaggerated contrast for the attractive and seductive genius of the Romantics. While the Romantics are writing and reading what will in turn be the classics, the characters of the twentieth century are more concerned with studying what these people were doing on the weekend. These contemporary figures are in fact living their lives stuffily researching, critiquing (oh dear) and pondering the good old days.Was Lord Byron dueling it out with cuckolds in Derbyshire or was he scribbling graffiti on the pillars of the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion?

Christopher Leo has cast the principals beautifully and elicited splendid performances from them all. The pacing allows for The elegant romantic fire and passion displayed by the precocious prodigy, Thomasina Coverly, and her tutor, Septimus Hodge, provide eye-and ear-candy as portrayed by Jamie Ann Romero and Jonno Waldman respectively. Ms. Romero is fast becoming one of the most sought after actors for ingénue roles. The same is true of Mr. Waldman in roles requiring a young male. Both are superb here, and the extended acting duet they provide is utterly delicious.

Verbal sparring partners Gregory J. Adams (Bernard Nightingale) and Teri Ann Watts (Hannah Jarvis) give us the dull intellectual research required for twentieth century detectives unraveling the mystery of Lord Byron’s whereabouts with consummate gusto and bitchiness. Both Mr. Adams and Ms. Watts have prestigious backgrounds, and are both more than adequate to the task at hand. Lisa Rosenhagen’s Lady Croom is a complete delight. Noah Wilson does fine work in featured roles in both centuries. Erudite and sometimes self-indulgent, Stoppard’s dialogue always soars.

The play is in its complex construction, a perfect blueprint. A slightly larger venue might have afforded a bit more room for the waltzing at play’s end. And had the tortoise, Lightning, been lively enough to have taken two steps during this rather lengthy play or a single bite of the lettuce leaf offered him by Valentine, there would be nothing to criticize at all in Firehouse Theatre Company’s “Arcadia.” Bravo!

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