Two Gentlemen of Verona
at West Springfield High School

Reviewed on November 21, 2015

Maddie Clark
Loudoun Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Fairfax

Love, friendship, and hidden identity. Slapstick comedy, the ultimate bro-mance, and a dog. This sounds more like John Hughes than The Bard, and thankfully West Springfield felt the same. Two Gentlemen of Verona was a hilarious spectacle fit for the rom-com section of Netflix, with 5 golden stars gracing the top.

One of Shakespeare's earliest plays, Two Gentlemen of Verona is a comedy reminiscent of sitcoms, full of wacky adventures and ever changing love triangles. While the play was originally written in the Elizabethan Era, it fits surprisingly well into a Princeton-esque college. The year is 1950, and Proteus and Valentine, the best of buds, have just graduated from high school. Soon, they are sent away to Milan University, breaking hearts and stirring up trouble. The well-known, albeit modernized, story continues, complete with biker gangs, doo-wop groups, and plenty of crazy shenanigans.

The two bros, played by Scott Burrows (Proteus) and Graham Morriss (Valentine), were comedic gems. With perfectly timed takes to the audience, a flourish for the melodramatics, and a lovely singing voice, Burrows delighted. His pandering to the crowd showed a deep understanding of comedy, and he never faltered in his overtly dramatic, love stricken character. Their interactions with each other, and also the leading ladies, Julia (Brittany Padgett) and Sylvia (Grace Duah), were never stiff, and always believable. All the leads created real characters, they were people rather than the dull deliverers of flowing Shakespearean prose, and it was obvious that they all understood the dialogue on a very deep level, giving the audience a story rather than a text.

Also blessed with comedy gold were the servants, Speed and Launce, played by Brandon LaBarge and Elia Nash, respectively. Their overdoing of their numerous monologues and soliloquies had the audience rolling with laughter, and their chemistry with other characters, even with Crab the dog, was brilliantly portrayed. The ensemble as a whole worked well together, effectively creating the 1950's collegiate atmosphere through many silent scenes between the scripted dialogues. The doo-wop singers were particularly notable, as was the biker gang, especially in the Scooby Doo style chase scene.

The technical aspects of the show only added to the atmosphere. Everything was paid an extraordinary amount of attention; signs were painted to look like stone, ivy climbed a building's corner, and a diner looked like it came straight out of 1956. The costumes were painstakingly decade-appropriate; the girls were adorned with circle skirts, Peter Pan collars, and strands of pearls, while the men wore spiffy suits and fedoras to match.

With a magnificently funny cast, beautiful period appropriate costumes, and an amazingly realistic bro-mance, West Springfield elicited an audience reaction equal to a laugh track, and brought fresh life to the story written by Shakespeare hundreds of years ago.

Gillian Wright
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Fairfax

Two friends. Four lovers. Unrequited love. Crossdressing. A romantic monologue delivered beneath a balcony. Miscommunication upon miscommunication. It was undeniably the work of the Bard playing at West Springfield, but wherefore the diner? Why the swing dancing? West Springfield's production of "Two Gentlemen of Verona" was translated seamlessly to a 1950s setting, enhancing the theme of woefully enamored teens.

Suspected to be one of Shakespeare's earlier plays, "Two Gentlemen of Verona" follows, unsurprisingly, two young gentlemen from Verona. The first, Valentine, has come of age and is eager to seek his fortune in Milan, where he falls in love with beautiful Sylvia. His best friend, Proteus, initially stays in Verona to be with his lover, Julia, but, as so many adolescents experience, his parents' plans for his future differ from his own, and off Proteus is sent to Milan, where he too falls in love with Sylvia. When Julia, disguised as a man, seeks out Proteus in Milan, mayhem quickly ensues. The play was produced on Broadway in 1958 and revived in 1971 as a musical, which won eight Drama Desk Awards and a Tony Award for Best Musical.

The interactions between Valentine (Graham Morriss) and Proteus (Scott Burrows) were genuinely endearing, employing heartfelt dialogue and a charmingly complex handshake to develop their relationship. Proteus, in particular, stole the show with his exaggerated intonations, confident physicality, and a charismatically sung monologue that stole the hearts of everyone in the house except, of course, Sylvia, for whom the verse was intended. An incredibly talented actress, Grace Duah (playing Sylvia) made clear that her affections lay with Valentine through saucy vocal inflections and expressive body language. Valentine's emotional range throughout the show was magnified by Morriss' telling facial expressions and ingenious reactions.

Ever by Valentine's side, the loyal page Speed (Brandon LaBarge) offered witty yet pertinent advice to his master. As they debated girls and mocked other men together, LaBarge and Morriss formed a truly dynamic duo. A less helpful but more humorous servant, Launce (Eila Nash) had a constant sense of self-deprecating comedy as she pantomimed family interactions and tried to woo women. Nash's interactions with her dependable dog, Crab, were a thoroughly uproarious highlight of the show.

The most apparent evidence of the time period was the costuming. As the girls in pastel dresses swing danced with boys in old-fashioned suits, the theater was transported sixty years into the past. Period appropriate silhouettes were completed with wonderfully executed hairstyles for both men and women. Illuminating upon the physical setting was a professional set. Though simple, each set piece was cleanly made and painted with tremendous detail. Further augmenting the retro aura were delightful sound clips of period appropriate music during each scene transition.

Though the play was written hundreds of years ago, West Springfield's priceless production proves that "Two Gentlemen of Verona" was relevant in the mid-20th century and remains so today. Proteus's proclamation that Julia "hast metamorphosed me/Made me neglect my studies, lose my time/Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with time," is a timelessly relatable sentiment parallel to that of Dion and the Belmonts, who in 1959 lamented, "Why must I be a teenager in love?"

Syona Ayyankeril
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

For a comical, rock-roaring, doo wop delight, head on down to West Springfield High School's production of "The Two Gentlemen of Verona", where bromance battles romance, Shakespeare meets swing dance, and the 1950s meet the 1590s.

Written by William Shakespeare, "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" tells the tale of Proteus and Valentine, two friends divided by the shared desire for one woman. The play opens as Valentine leaves Verona to live in Milan, where he meets and falls in love with Sylvia. Proteus, who is in love with a woman named Julia and initially chooses to stay with her in Verona, later travels to Milan at his parents' request, and falls in love with Sylvia as well. After betrayal, heartbreak, and chaos ensues, the two friends are eventually reconciled and true love wins out as Sylvia marries Valentine and Proteus marries Julia. Although it was first performed in the 1590s, West Springfield's production was set in the 1950s, which aided in making the characters more relatable to a modern audience.

Scott Burrows led the show in the role of Proteus. His fantastic command of language, control of voice, and impeccable comedic timing resulted in a dynamic and outrageously funny performance that was engaging and thoroughly entertaining. His charisma was apparent in both his fantastically delivered monologues and in the chemistry he shared with the other characters, especially Valentine, Sylvia, and Julia. His use of body language and contrasting tone contributed greatly to the comedy of the show.

Senior Grace Duah shone in the role of Sylvia, also exhibiting superb command of language as well as high energy, charisma, and spunk, all of which resulted in a clear conveyance of her character's arc and distinctly defined relationships with both Valentine and Proteus. Her expressive body language and hilarious facial expressions in scenes such as Julia's identity reveal were effective in relating the plot of the story, despite the challenge posed by Shakespearean text.

Eila Nash, in the role of Launce, was a featured actor who stood out due to her hilarious comedic timing and physical decisions, including an imitation of her character's dog.

The small, moveable set pieces were elegant and effective in creating a variety of settings, including a college campus, Julia's bedroom, and the street below Sylvia's window. The clock tower on the campus was an especially notable piece exhibiting great attention to detail not only on the exterior, but also the interior, as the two working doors opened to reveal a hallway on the inside. The comical silent bits between scenes, which heightened the energy of the show and aided in smooth, interesting transitions, were a particularly unique aspect of the production. Similarly, a skillfully choreographed swing number at the top of the show was extremely successful in setting the time period, as well as an energetic, fun environment.

West Springfield's production of "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" was a hilarious and entertaining show, with high quality tech and a strong cast that gave energetic and captivating performances.

Claire Poirier
Loudoun Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - Fairfax

Milkshakes served on skates to girls with curly hair and puffy dresses. Stories of the Bard and the comfortable rhythm of iambic pentameter. How do these two things meld into a Doo Wop of a time? Well, the 1950's has arrived in whirlwind of delight in an extremely clever adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Get ready to lace up some skates and jump into the vortex of excitement that envelops this show.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona was an early comedy by William Shakespeare, supposedly written between 1589 and 1592. The plot revolves around two best friends, Valentine and Proteus, who struggle to stay within the traditional confines of love and friendship. Proteus leaves his love Julia to follow Valentine to Milan, where he falls for Sylvia, Valentine's betrothed. Julia, suspicious, dresses up like a man to find out what Proteus is really up to. In a tug of war with poor Sylvia stuck in the middle, it is to be seen the characters can survive a multitude of twists and turns that somehow all comes together in the end.

The cast did a beautiful job of portraying the hilarity and energy that is necessary for a successful adaptation of this show. Whether in the arms of a passionate soliloquy or a wild chase throughout the woods, the vitality was constantly electric and showed an impressive amount of commitment and love for the piece. Small additions to the show like the Doo Wop song brought a hysterical ambiance to the show and really enhanced the theme.

There is nothing better than the love that is found in a bromance. Proteus, played by Scott Burrows, had little nuances, for example the way he controlled his voice when he was surprised or being devious, that fully developed a comedic character that was impossible not to watch. Valentine, played by Graham Morriss, had great reactions to the other characters and was impressive when portraying his lovesick nature. The juxtaposition between the personalities of Burrows and Morriss was seen at its best at the friend's handshake, which throughout the hardships seemed to be the solution to even the most difficult conundrums. Sylvia, played by Grace Duah, brought sass and refined facial expressions that were perfectly quaffed to any situation, and Julia, played by Brittany Padgett, was extremely convincing when playing a boy and her emotion in her dramatic reveal to Proteus.

No show is complete without its share of goofy sidekicks. Speed, played by Brandon LaBarge, was always in character and present in the scene even if he wasn't the center of attention. Launce, played by Eila Nash, was a hoot and a half during her monologues and in her reactions to her environment.

Two impressive aspects of the show were the lights and set. The lighting had finesse when following the actors with the spotlight during the chase scene and fading in and out of different parts of the stage. The movable set pieces showed stunning attention to detail and had just the right amount of complexity for the scene.

The complexities of the heart are as timeless as the need for air and water. Love hurts, and yet it is one of the most wonderful things that life has to offer. "What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by? Unless it be to think that she is by, And feed upon the shadow of perfection."

Ben Beriss
Montgomery Blair High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

A doo-wop serenade, an adorable bromance, and a biker gang are almost as far as you can get from traditional Shakespeare. But West Springfield High School manages to bring all these elements, and more, together with the Bard's classic dialogue in their production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, set in the Ivy League-esque "Milan College" during the fabulous 50s.

One of Shakespeare's earliest works, Two Gentlemen was first performed sometime between 1594 and 1595. As part of Shakespeare's oeuvre, it's a theater classic despite being considered one his weakest works. It follows the love lives of the two gentlemen, Proteus and Valentine, as they go through the trials and tribulations of the bromance and romance of college.

Despite the difficulty of Shakespeare's language, which was exaggerated by the way sound dipped in and out at times, the actors consistently conveyed their message through their excellent facial expressions and movement. The actors' comedic physicality was further highlighted by several silent scenes at the top of every setting change which had remarkable focus and comedic value for minute-long skits. This expertise in silence was continued throughout the show – even while not speaking all stayed in character and added to the scene, whether that involved looking cartoonishly astonished when one character steps out of a disguise or chuckling together while watching two awkward lovers talk.

Though all the actors displayed this thorough grasp of their craft, there were several who truly stood out. Proteus, played by Scott Burrows, was hilarious, using his excellent control of his voice both to portray emotion and as a stunning doo-wop singer. His connection with his counterpart and friend Valentine, played by Graham Morriss, is palpable, cemented by small touches such as their signature handshake. Sylvia, played by Grace Duah, who is pursued by both friends while her father tries to force her into marriage with the greasy Thurio, played by Carden Warner IV, does a remarkable job of showing the stress she is placed under in one of the truly emotional performances of the show.

The technical aspects of the show were similarly impressive. The set was simple with only three or four set pieces for every scene, but they all came together to create a solid setting. The expert dance routines choreographed by Jane Schwartz, also did an excellent job of placing the play solidly in 1952 as well as providing a chance for the actors to show off their dancing skills. Relevant music also helped situate the play, as well as making scene transitions seamless. Period-appropriate costumes and makeup helped establish the setting and the characters, especially the boy's greased and the girl's curled hair.

The show's one major weakness was its emotions. Two Gentlemen relies heavily on long monologues to develop deep emotions and, though these were delivered with energy, much of their depth of emotion was lost in the multitude of jokes. Despite this, West Springfield's latest production is a side-splitting comedic masterpiece, which manages to make Shakespeare comprehensible and comical.

Michaela Flemming
Stone Bridge High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

West Springfield High School took a trip back in time for their production of Two Gentlemen of Verona, putting a 1950's twist on a classic Shakespeare play and breathing new life into a 500-year-old tale.

Two Gentlemen of Verona is one of Shakespeare's earliest surviving plays, first published in 1623. The play deals with the romantic entanglements of Valentine and Proteus, the eponymous gentlemen who both get involved with the beautiful Sylvia much to the chagrin of Proteus's former flame Julia.

The cast of Two Gentlemen was energetic with strong body language that kept the audience engaged. They had a great understanding of the text, conveying the meaning of Shakespeare's text to the audience through their expressions and actions. Scott Burrows as Proteus shined, completely conveying his dramatic range through his versatile voice and dynamic physicality. He particularly stood out during the second act when he serenaded Sylvia in her tower making Shakespeare's sonnets sound like they were made to be turned into a 1950's doo wop. His chemistry with Graham Morriss's Valentine was picture perfect, down to their adorable bro hi-five that made for a poignant reconciliation at the end. In fact the entire cast had great chemistry with each other, making the long silent scenes fascinating to watch.

While the bromance between Valentine and Proteus was at the heart of the story, the ladies of Two Gentlemen did a commendable job creating distinct characters from Grace Duah's sassy Sylvia to Brittany Padgett's passionate Julia. Duah kept the pace of the show upbeat and her expressive acting made her a pleasure to watch. Padgett did a beautiful job conveying Julia's range of emotions from lovestruck and giddy when she first meets Proteus to heartbroken when she discovers he's in love with another woman. Eila Nash as Launce had a breakout performance with a little help from a furry friend, Chase. Her relationship with the dog drew oohs and ahhs from the audience and left them in stitches when she broke out her sharp comedic skills.

The stage crew of Two Gentlemen of Verona made the unusual decision to dress in costume instead of the customary black, but it paid off. Many times the crew simply blended in with the cast. There was little dead time during this show as the sound crew played perfectly chosen 50s style songs during scene changes, from the campy theme played during the chase scene to the "great pretender" song played as Julia masqueraded as a boy. The sound department should be commended for their creative choices and the care they took in executing them. While occasionally it was difficult to hear some actors at the beginning of the show, the problem was nonexistent by the end. The set, props, and costumes all reflected the care the crew took into incorporating the 1950's theme in interesting ways. From the real neon on the diner to incredibly realistic Milan College sign, to the motorcycles, the crew showed a great attention to detail.

Updating Two Gentlemen of Verona to the 1950's was a risky choice for the thespians of West Springfield but it paid off. The show was sharp, hilarious, and never missed a beat. All together it was a fantastic effort from the cast and crew.