It's a dog - The School of Night

Photo by Craig Schwartz
The School of Night

The Mark Taper Forum
(135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles 90012)

By Peter Whelan

Date of reviewed performance: November 29, 2008



Cast
Thomas Kyd - Michael Bakkensen
Ingram Frizer - Ian Bedford
Rosalinda Benotti - Tymberlee Chanel
Landlady - Paula Christensen
Robyn Poley - Mark H. Dold
Mostyn - Johnny Giacalone
Prison Jailer - Michael Kirby
Thomas Walsingham - Adrian LaTourelle
Sir Walter Raleigh -Henri Lubatti
Harlequin - Jon Monastero
Nicholas Skeres - Rob Nagle
Steward - Richard Robichaux
Audry Walsingham - Alicia Roper
William Shakespeare - John Sloan
Pantalone - Nick Toren
Kit Marlowe - Gregory Wooddell

There's a joke that goes: "What do you get when you cross an insomniac, an agnostic and a dyslexic?" The answer: "Someone who stays up all night wondering is there's a dog." If I had only known that I could learn the ENTIRETY of the plot behind The School of Night from the punchline of a 15 year old joke, I would have spent a much more productive and enjoyable two hours yesterday.

A quick rundown of the plot goes something like this: Christopher Marlowe entertains fellow playwrights and high nobles in his home on a regular basis. He does little to hide his disdain for and disbelief in Christianity, though he knows Queen Elizabeth (one of the world's most zealous protestants) is trying everyone for treason who doesn't share her view toward the Creator. A couple of regular attenders to Marlowe's soirees are actually Her Majesty's spies - Marlowe suspects it and the audience learns it for certain early on. Plus, though we all know that in truth Marlowe was killed in a barfight, the production goes so far as to print the playwright's coroner's report in the program. Therefore, most of the play consists of the audience waiting to see which conspirator kills him. It sounds like it ought to be interesting, but it isn't.

Here's why:

- the writing is as dull as white paint. There's a running joke where Marlowe opts to pray to the divine "Dog" instead of to God. This is funny the first time, but boring and pointless each additional time he does it (of which there are many). All of the characters take the revelations they make during the first scene and merely repeat them over and over again until the requisite two hours is up and Marlowe is mercifully put out of our misery.

- the acting is mediocre across the board. Even Gregory Wooddell (Marlowe) is entirely one note and that note becomes grating rather quickly. Tymberlee Chanel is a gorgeous woman who is beautifully costumed, but her fake Italian accent is just bad and the Elizabethan language doesn't come naturally from her lips. Same is true for John Sloan playing William Shakespeare (whom the program confusingly lists as playing Tom Stone - an effort to keep the big reveal a surprise for the audience, one supposes - but it's senseless as his identity is revealed very early on and is then only referred to as either Shakespeare or Touch, but never again as Tom Stone). Sloan obviously isn't comfortable with Elizabethan English and this is an atrocious quality to have in William Shakespeare. It all makes one wonder what the harsh conditions were behind the casting.

The set is attractive and has a couple of interesting machinations...but this certainly can't make up for everything else. Save your money for the next ISC season instead. At least you know they'll be entertaining.

The School of Night: