When the stage manager paused the opening night of the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan (SOTS) production of Shakespeare’s Will just a few minutes into the performance, it felt like an ill omen.
All the credit in the world to performer Lisa Bayliss for handling the awkward gaffe with no small amount of grace and levity, but not even a quick resumption could jumpstart the plodding production on Thursday night.
Shakespeare’s Will is a one-woman show by Canadian playwright Vern Thiessen which follows Anne Hathaway, the often-forgotten (and little-known) wife of the great William Shakespeare. Bayliss, as Hathaway, explores life as the stay-at-home wife of “The Bard” leading up to — and following immediately after — his funeral.
Throughout the show, Bayliss also fills the roles of her various children, servants, family members, and occasionally Shakespeare himself as she narrates through memories and conversations, telling the story to the audience.
However, Bayliss was at her best when she was given leave to bask in the character of Hathaway — giving a more introspective look into the enigmatic woman. Bayliss’ performance was deep and believable both as a struggling mother and as a grieving widow, adding particularly lovely depth to Hathaway’s scenes reminiscing about her children.
It’s where Bayliss is asked to do too much that the show bogs down. Carrying on conversations with herself and flipping between characters that only slightly differentiated themselves physically or vocally made it difficult, on occasion, to tell who was speaking.
If brevity is the soul of wit, as Shakespeare has famously written, then this script could have used wit lessons. There are moments of real cleverness, but too often the show lingers on descriptions and details of imaginary memories that add little to Hathaway’s character. The show drags during the middle sections, and it doesn’t have enough energy to be able to afford to drag much, if at all.
Despite being a one-woman show, Bayliss too often felt like she was left alone on the large SOTS stage in a way she didn’t have to be. While the sound cues added to the setting (church bells and the like), and the lights turned blue every time Hathaway mentions (or visits) the sea, it would have been more engaging to see those tools used more liberally through the rest of the show. Giving Bayliss something else to play off of or react to could have added another, more immersive layer to draw the audience in.
Let’s not get it twisted — the show does have its moments, and Bayliss brings both a dry wit and a heartfelt tenderness to Hathaway that few in the province could match. Even the surprisingly raunchy jokes come with such snark and sass that you can’t help but laugh at Bayliss’ delivery.
Those moments are just too few and far between. Shakespeare’s Will never hits any jarring lows — Bayliss is too talented a performer for that to happen — but it never crests to any great heights, either.
Just before the ending of the show, we see Hathaway fly into a gripping, grief-stricken emotional fervor — but it ends all too fast, and the audience is left wishing there could have been that kind of energy somewhere else in the first 75 or so minutes of the production.
Try to get your tickets close to the stage to appreciate the touching moments of Shakespeare’s Will as best you can. Up close and personal is the best way to get as much out of the intimate performance as possible.
Shakespeare’s Will runs at Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan from July 14 to 31. Tickets are available at www.shakespearesask.com.
