Cymbeline
Based on the legends of early Celtic King Cunobelinus and parts of Boccaccio’s Decameron, Shakespeare’s little produced romance of innocence and jealousy, Cymbeline is a perfect fit of the beautiful backdrop of the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum directed by Ellen Geer.
The plot revolves around the marriage of Posthumus and Imogen. When Cymbeline finds his daughter to be secretly married, Posthumus is banished. The jealousy ensues from a bet made between Jachimo, a Roman soldier, and Posthumus over the chastity of his beloved wife Imogen. After Jachimo falsely claims to have laid with Imogen, offering up the bracelet that was a gift between them as proof, all hell breaks loose within the play. War between Rome and Britain, Imogen runs away from her father’s court, her step mother is plotting her death as well as that of the King so her son might become ruler, stolen heirs to the King are introduced after intermission. With the massively complex plot structure, one can see why this place is not often produced.
Yet for all of its complexity, Geer does a wonderful job navigating her cast through this story and communicates all the passion, fury and star-crossed romance one would expect from Shakespeare. Mike Peebler and Willow Geer play the lovers Posthumus and Imogen with great urgency and sorrow. Both have a wonderful handle on the language and the depth of love, the misery of losing it and the joy in finding it again.
The real star of this play is Aaron Hendry as Jachimo (or Iachimo) who steals every scene he is in and has such a wonderful charm, he is truly the perfect mix of Benedick and Iago. You love to hate him and hate that you cheer for him, but one can just not help themselves as he is simply too smug and too charming to not fall in love with. Other notable performances come from the Queen played by Susan Angelo, with such an icy dexterity you can see the beginnings of Lady Macbeth in this character and Cloten, her foppish son, played by Jeff Wiesen. He is the true weasel on all levels, you just love to watch him fall all over himself.