CHASING OPHELIA SHOWS THE BARD'S TOWN WILL BE "A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH."

In Chasing Ophelia, Joy (Beth Tantanella, left) arrives for her blind date with Ned (Ryan Watson, right).  Photo by Doug Schutte.

Chasing Ophelia

A play by Doug Schutte
Directed by Scot Atkinson

A review by Kate Barry

Entire contents are copyright © 2011 Kate Barry. All rights reserved 

When The Bards Town officially opened on the corner of Speed Avenue and Bardstown Road there was a collective raise of the eye brow within the arts community. A restaurant that has a cabaret and theater upstairs? Not since the Rudyard Kipling had a place been available for musicians, actors and various performers to gather and practice their craft. Run by Doug Schutte and Scot Atkinson, the business is fueled by its complete devotion to the performing arts. Last night was the Opening Night of Chasing Ophelia in the intimate and charming upstairs theater.

One half modernist comedy, one half Shakespeare parody, Chasing Ophelia was written by the aforementioned Mr. Schutte during his time as a Treadwell Fellow in London England. Mr. Schutte takes his “everyman”, Ned Mark (Ryan Watson), on a journey through theatrical limbo as he chases after Joy (Beth Tantanella). Through his journey, Ned meets an assortment of random Shakespearean characters like Lady Macbeth, Puck, Caeser and Laertes, an envious contemporary Christopher Marlowe and even some Pirates who seem to be in the wrong play. Through his quest to find Joy, Ned is desperate to figure out not only where he is but who he is.

As Ned, Ryan Watson was a ball to watch. Masked in humongous glasses, his gawky demeanor through his hyperactive existential crisis was a hoot. Beth Tantanella gave a duo performance as a girl who wants to be Ophelia, arguably Shakespeare’s most tragic female, as well as a brief appearance as Lady Macbeth in the second act. The contrast of characters allowed for Tantanella to stretch her acting legs and show us her range. Her timing of Lady Macbeth’s cruelty was spot on.

Since Ned is on a journey, he relies on the help of a guide named Joseph (Nadeem Zaman). Giving advice and warnings, Joseph takes the forms of different Shakespeare characters including Horatio. Zaman provides the strongest performance of the small ensemble providing a sturdy support for the rest of the cast. Doug Schutte and Jason Cooper play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, respectively. I grinned to myself as these characters, which in Tom Stoppard’s world were looking for their own answers to the big questions in life, assist Ned on his existential journey in this play. Schutte and Cooper play off of each other like Laurel and Hardy, throwing one liners at each other with rapid pace.

As this is an inaugural performance in a brand new venue, I might suggest a few things to the folks at The Bards Town. First of all, I had trouble finding the theater once I entered the restaurant. Luckily, the staff pointed me in the right direction. As for the material, the script’s hefty number of characters felt lost in certain bits of the story. Being a comedy of sorts where a young man is lost and confused, the parade of well known characters worked when Ned is looking for guidance, but the intimate stage, at times, seemed to be busting at the seams. Luckily the six member cast tackled the countless character changes with boundless energy.

It is exciting to know that there is another place in Louisville that a theater lover can go to support local arts and eat a tasty meal beforehand. The Bards Town is showing a lot of promise with this production and, judging from their upcoming season, will continue to deliver new works and even a short play festival. This venue is well on its way to becoming a theatrical force to be reckoned with.

Starring: Jason Cooper, Doug Schutte, Beth Tantanella, Tad Timberlake, Ryan Watson, Nadeem Zaman

Chasing Ophelia

May 11 - 21, 2011
The Bard's Town
1801 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY
www.thebardstown.com