NOTE: The run of the play has been extended through December 30th.
By Kyle Osborne
Equal parts silly and substantive, The Book of Will introduces us to the unsung heroes who got their old theatre pal’s plays–to reverse the old phrase–from the stage to the page. The fact that their late, lamented friend was William Shakespeare adds some urgency to their efforts and makes for some hysterical history in the process.
The laughs come from playwright Lauren Gunderson, a pair of actual Shakespearean actors in the lead, and a game cast of area all-stars who keep the laughs rolling along. Most of us will have come away from the show having learned all sorts of things we never knew about Shakespeare, all while being entertained.
Round House Theatre’s Dramaturg, Gabrielle Hoyt, reminds us that “No living person has ever read a play written solely by William Shakespeare.” Shocked? There are several reasons why that is so, but The Book of Will focuses on the fact that the plays had never been printed in their entirety, nor copyrighted, nor published (though the first person to print, which was an expensive proposition in those days, actually became the owner of the rights, which is another important part of this story).
Katie Kleiger (Alice Heminges), Todd Scofield (John Heminges), and Maboud Embrahimzadeh (Henry Condell) Credit: Photo by Kaley Etzkorn
John Heminges (Todd Scofield) and Henry Condell (Maboud Ebrahimzadeh) are determined to find a way to publish the first folio of The Bard’s illustrious catalog, but the obstacles are many—they’ll have to beg, borrow and steal their way through the course if they are to succeed. Spoiler alert: oh, never mind, you know how this ends.
The point is, you’ll have fun watching the methodical “reveal.” Special shout out to the always great Kimberly Gilbert who, in one scene as Emilia Bassano Lanier, brings down the house with a wicked side-eye glance that would make Gloria Swanson envious.
Mitchell Hébert (Ben Jonson), Christopher Michael Richardson (Ralph Crane), Katie Kleiger (Alice Heminges), Kimberly Gilbert (Elizabeth Condell), Todd Scofield (John Heminges), and Maboud Embrahimzadeh (Henry Condell) Credit: Photo by Kaley Etzkorn
Christopher Michael Richardson, peering through spectacles as the Compositor, displays impeccable comedic timing and a damn good English accent.
Round House favorite Mitchell Hébert (dialed all the way up to 11) commands the stage as Richard Burbage, Ben Johnson, and Marcellus. Michael Russotto, another DC favorite, has fun as the one-eyed William Jaggard.
But the leading pair of Scofield and Ebrahimzadeh really put the heart and soul into the story—underneath the lightheartedness of the proceedings, we really do believe in their characters’ commitment to the mission, and we should thank them for all they did to ensure that the works live on. And they do.
Shakespeare’s plays are still the most performed in the world, and Ms. Gunderson is the most-produced playwright in America for the second year in a row, which makes The Book of Will the perfect tempest (okay, “perfect storm”) of storytelling.
The Book of Will at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, MD through December 30th. For tickets, show times and more information, please visit: https://www.roundhousetheatre.org/
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