Timon of Stratford

This year's trip to the Stratford Festival included a four-pack of plays.  One of those, Timon of Athens, was a Shakespearean offering.  Granted, it's not Hamlet, but that won't stop me from writing a bit about it.  My blog, my rules.

The play, performed at the Patterson Theatre, was excellent in all aspects, finishing second among the four productions that I saw.  (The full list will be revealed eventually.)  It was a large cast, and all performed exceedingly well.  Joseph Ziegler as Timon was truly wonderful.  His portrayal was sympathetic and believable.  Ben Carlson, one of my favorites of the Stratford company, was a perfect foil as Apemantus, sharp in his delivery of Shakespeare's witty dialogue.  While the two actors were stand-outs, each member of the cast deserves recognition; all ably suited action to word and word to action.

The set was minimal.  There were no permanent fixtures.  Tables, chairs, and benches were brought on stage as needed.  The theme was modern and elegant, fitting for a nobleman.  Dinner banquets seemed appetizing enough to want to join.  Much of the scenery was left to the viewer's imagination, and Stephen Ouimette's direction made that an easy prospect.  Costumes also fit the modern mode and ranged from business suit to dirty sleeveless T-shirt.

I was unfamiliar with this work prior to seeing the performance.  As the story unfolded with Timon's abandonment by his so-called friends, I could not help but to feel sorry for him.  The transition from generous and friendly to bitter and betrayed was harsh.  Yes, Timon may have been a heedless profligate, but Joseph Ziegler's portrayal as Timon collapsed into bitterness was genuine and striking.  The dinner party ended the first part of the play, and it made for a rather stark intermission.

The second part of the play felt (and was) much shorter than the first.  Timon's misery and misanthropy were on full display right to the bitter end.  The scenes in the woods ranged from humorous (more repartee with Apemantus) to difficult (interactions with bandits and soldiers).  The climax did feel rather abrupt.  Timon leaves stage, we are told that he is dead, and the play is over.

The lesson of the play, that one takes his misery to the grave, hit home.  In my own life, persistent unhappiness led me to undertake a change in employment.  It's nowhere near a perfect parallel, but I could relate to the idea that misery can lead one to an unpleasant end.  Timon was urged to make a change, did not, and was left to face the consequences.  Fortunately I was able to rectify my situation before a similar end (if only in a figurative sense).   Shakespeare's words may be over 400 years old, but the story is every bit as relevant today.

As a post-script to attending the performance, I wandered the next day into Fanfare Books, an independent bookseller in town.  On a shelf of Shakespearean books was one entitled Notes on William Shakespeare's Timon of Athens by Elgiva Adamson.  It is a small (43 pages) summary of the play.  I look forward to perusing it, and perhaps even to reading the entire play.  Thanks to the cast and director for making this one a success!