(Foreground:) Andrew Weems as King John, Edward James Hyland as Philip, Kind of France, and (rear) William DeMerritt and Doug Westas as citizens of Angiers in KING JOHN. Photo © Gerry Goodstein.

The New York Times
Sunday, August 3, 2003
By Neil Genzlinger

Pity certain nouns that become linked to certain modifiers. Any mode of transportation, for instance, and "doomed" ? "the doomed ocean liner." Any sports team and "hapless" -- "the hapless Mets." And generally any play and the phrase "seldom performed" -- it usually connotes a work that is unredeemably confusing or boring or dated, or perhaps all three.

But the production of Shakespeare's seldom-performed "King John" at the Shakespeare Theater in New Jersey casts off that adjectival baggage. We see why the play in not in the pantheon, but several riveting scenes and one splendid performance make this time well spent.

Paul Mullins, the director, has injected enough verve into the show to turn "seldom performed" into an asset. It is refreshing to see a Shakespeare play unfamiliar enough that, rather than waiting for this or that signature line, you are curious to see what happens next.

It is the dawn of the 13th century, and John has claimed the English throne, but King Philip of France backs Arthur, the young son of John's dead brother. John (Andrew Weems) and Philip (Edward James Hyland) try to settle their differences but find, as in our time, that peace is not simply a matter of the two principals shaking hands. Ancillary parties like Arthur's mother and a representative of the pope keep urging them to fight. By the end, many laments about death have been heard.

The play lacks the lyricism of Shakespeare's better-known works, and its dramatic flaws are hard to ignore -- too many major developments (a crucial poisoning, a pivotal death) happen offstage; two strong female characters essentially disappear in the second half; an heir materializes out of nowhere at the end. But judging from the preview on Wednesday, Mr. Mullins gets fine work out of his cast, especially Ian Kahn, who lights up the stage as Philip Faulconbridge, a man of uncertain parentage who becomes John's right hand.

There in not much humor in "King John," but Mr. Kahn, who has most of it, lands every laugh line perfectly, also turning suitably dark when needed. It is a measure of his impact that, in Act I's big sword fight, you are actively rooting for him because you do not want him to turn into Mercutio, who so dominates "Romeo and Juliet" early on that Shakespeare had to kill him off to keep the focus on the young lovers.

Anita Stewart's subtle set seems plain as can be at first, but gradually rots away, mimicking England's disintegration as the wars rage.

An engrossing evening in the theatre!

The Star-Ledger
Monday, August 4, 2003
by Peter Filichia

Paul Mullins was given the toughest test of the theater season, but he's aced it.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey in Madison asked Mullins to direct "King John," one of the Bard's least-produced and most poorly regarded plays.

Nobody seems to have told Mullins, though, that "King John" is no "King Lear." The director just went ahead, staged it with confidence, and made the nearly three-hour script consistently entertaining.

Historians remember John (1166-1216) as the king who signed the Magna Carta, while baby-boomers recall him as the villain in that "Robin Hood" TV series. Shakespeare dealt with neither that edict nor that legend.

What he did instead was create an episodic script. First, John copes with those who want his nephew Arthur on the throne. Then he settles a dispute between rival brothers Philip and Robert Faulconbridge. Then he deals with a war with France. All this before he gets into trouble with the Catholic Church for not following the Pope's orders in choosing the new Archbishop of Canterbury.

Mullins hasn't worried that all these scenes and more don't all add up cohesively. He's just concentrated on making every scene shine. Almost every one does.

Thank the actors, too. Andrew Weems has the right tired and dissolute look for John, often showing a man who's more mama's boy than king. John rages because he's got the power, but Weems shows a man who way down deep knows he's neither earned not deserved it. One telling moment occurs when the King of France brings over a map, and John realizes a second too late that he's supposed to be looking at it. Weems jumps up out of his chair the way employees do when their bosses catch them napping.

Though Arthur was actually 16 at the time of the play, Mullins opted to cast Austin Colaluca, a kid who just finished fifth grade. While that makes Arthur perilously young to be king, Colaluca is superb at delivering the dense language, and amazingly conquers a scene where he must use grace and psychology to keep from being blinded. (Colaluca is no theatrical rookie, by the way. His bio is the third-longest in the program.)

Special mention must be given to Ian Kahn's Philip Faulconbridge. In the scene where he goes to John for justice, he's so endearing that he makes the audience root for him to win the lawsuit. After that, Shakespeare presses him into service as a de facto narrator, where Khan shows the folksy charm and wit of the Stage Manager in "Our Town." Here's an actor with genuine theatrical charisma. Let's see more of him in Madison.

Finally, there's one more bonus, for Laila Robins is on hand as Arthur's mother. Robins, the first lady of the New Jersey stage, makes this minor role into a major one. When she and Cristine McMurdo-Wallis (as John's mother) have an in-law fight, they're so intense that they make the sisters in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" seem like the girls in "Little Women."

Set designer Anita Stewart wisely set the entire action in a war room dominated by maps, but she created a surprise for it. Fight director Rick Sordelet offers one of his own during some second-act swordplay. Mullins, however, provided the most surprises in making a not-so-great play into an engrossing evening in the theater.

"In a word, the production is outstanding"

Recorder Newspapers
"King John reigns at Shakespeare Theatre "
By Allen Crossett
08/07/2003

Paul Mullins is not one to disappoint. King John, now at The Shakespeare Theatre in Madison, is considered by some, perhaps most, to be an impossible challenge, a history play with no clear focus, and a nightmare for actors. But that's not what this talented director believes. Mullins has found in this play a most important and timely theme. He also has created a staging that is filled with excitement, and he has worked very carefully with his performers to bring clarity to a text that needs all the help it can get.

In a word, the production is outstanding. While it runs just over two and a half hours, and the concluding 20 minutes seem to drag just a bit, so much has been remarkably well done.

As a play, King John may be Shakespeare's least successful effort, and as a monarch, King John is known as one of England's worst kings. Andrew Weems, however, who plays this part, gives one of the strongest performances we have seen at this theater.

Certainly it is fair to ask: Why produce this play at this time? And the answer to that question is that Shakespeare, in all of his plays, was interested in qualities of leadership, and in this one in particular he probes the nature of good government, secular and religious, as well as ethical questions about the power of an individual ruler.

Director's notes in the program include a series of quotations about leadership from famous people, from Nietzsche to Mark Twain. One by Julius Caesar is especially memorable, and it reads in part, "Beware the leader who bangs the drum of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor...."

The most telling line, however, comes from the play itself. In the second scene of Act IV, King John comes to this realization: "There is no sure foundation set on blood, No certain life achiev'd by others' death...."

Obviously, the decision to produce this specific play, as well as the casting and rehearsing, all took place well before the recent headlines. But isn't it fascinating how a 300-year-old play can speak so clearly to the present.

Anita Stewart's scenic design adds strong visual support to this theme. When the performance starts, we see an orderly room with three symmetrically positioned doors-right, center, and left-and three wooden chairs against each of the three walls. And on the walls appear a large map, with the United States at the left and Europe in the middle and to the right.

By the end of the performance, the chairs are scattered and large sections of the walls have been destroyed by warfare. The western world lies in ruin.

When we first see King John, he is all alone and he seems bored, or tired, and maybe just indifferent. But when he is joined by his controlling mother and several earls, he quickly perks up. And his eyes begin to squint, his upper lip curls, and an unmistakable arrogance is reflected in his commanding voice.

Part of the strength of Weems' portrayal comes from his appearance, for his height is much less than that of Edward James Hyland, who gives a strong performance as his adversary, Philip, King of France, and that provides an immediate physical contrast. More defining, however, is his intensity.

This King John is a weak monarch, his tirades accomplish little, and he is influenced far too much by his mother and especially Philip Faulconbridge, his illegitimate nephew. But Weems puts fire in his belly, and the character becomes vividly alive.

Ian Kahn's portrayal of Faulconbridge is also very rich. Here we see a younger character who, while handsome and able, possesses both a welcome sense of humor and a readiness for a fight. This character also narrates some of the action.

In the role of Queen Eleanor, King John's mother, Cristine McMudo-Wallis provides a strikingly dark character in contrast to the more highly animated Constance, the wife of King John's elder brother, portrayed with much passion by Laila Robins.

Arthur, Constance's young son, is taken prisoner about half way through the play, and King John orders Hubert, one of his most loyal men, to first blind and then murder the boy. John Ahlin, who plays Hubert, brings to the role a big belly and a Falstaffian warmth, and Austin Colaluca, an 11-year old actor who already has all sorts of experience including an appearance on Broadway in Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby, is all innocence as Arthur. The scene in which the boy is to be blinded is performed with exquisite timing and sensitivity.

Also of much interest is the character of Cardinal Pandulph, a papal legate. His attitude and abuse of power create a strong image for a representative of the church. Brian Reddy plays this part with memorable smugness.

David Maddox's music adds much to the success of the production as do the costumes by Lora LaVon. Clear diction and movement that continually reinforces and clarifies the dialogue help to define Mullins' direction.

Some scholars argue that King John is weak as a play because Shakespeare just didn't want to write it. Certainly, it is seldom staged. Seeing this production at The Shakespeare Theatre, however, will make a believer of you.

Another one of those quotations in the program's Director's Notes is by Dante, and it reads, "The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis."

You may embrace Mullins' interpretation or you may be offended by it, but after seeing this play, there's no question that he is safe from the Inferno.

"Shakespeare Has Never Seemed So Timeless"

The Daily Record
"Shakespeare Theatre production shows worth of rarely staged 'King John'"
By William Westhoven

Last Friday night was a rough one for the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. At the Greek Theatre on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station, the outdoor production of "That Scoundrel Scapin" was rained out. Down the road at Drew University in Madison, the mainstage production of "King John" was interrupted by a fire alarm, sending the audience into the same pouring rain that scuttled "Scapin."

Fortunately, the alarm turned out to be much ado about nothing, and the audience, slightly damp but hardly undaunted, was rewarded with a performance that I might have been willing to stand in the rain to see. A rarely seen chapter in the Shakespeare canon, "King John" is a challenge to stage. It is a densely layered war drama, with little in the way of comic relief and an abundance of demanding and often unsympathetic parts. But, somehow, director Paul Mullins found all the answers.

Since it is one of the lesser-known brushes of the Bard's pen, let's outline the story: John is the last of King Henry II's five sons, and takes the throne following the death of his last living brother, Richard the Lionhearted. Two problems: ongoing war with France and the fact that Arthur, the young son of another dead brother, Geoffrey, is the rightful heir to the throne. The problems multiply as Constance, Geoffrey's widow, enlists the aid of King Philip of France to pry the crown off John's head.

A bloody stalemate drives John and Philip to an uncomfortable truce, which hands over some land to Arthur but keeps John on the throne. But when John refuses to acknowledge the pope, all bets are off and the conflicts resume. Arthur is kidnapped and John orders his private execution, but burly subject Hubert can't bring himself to kill the child. Arthur dies anyway, casting a poor light on John, who loses support among his noblemen. John has no choice but to submit to Rome in an effort to end a war he is now losing, but in the end, he dies from an apparent poisoning, leaving his son, Henry, to pursue a hopeful future peace.

Whew ... it's enough to boggle the mind, yet somehow it all makes sense, thanks in no small part to a spectacular cast. At the top is Andrew Weems, who plays John as a weary leader who may be willing to give it all up, at least until someone tries to take it away. His decisions are clearly motivated by self-interest, but Weems drums up some sympathy with a convincing performance of a man tortured by the awareness of his own tragic human weakness.

But the memorable performances hardly stop there. It is always a special treat to see Laila Robins, one of the Theatre's most memorable leading ladies, even in a supporting role such as Constance. Despite her relative lack of stage time, she leaves her usual indelible impression in a role that could have served as the template for generations of drama queens. Tempering Constance with a controlled rage, she manages to climb the mountain without giving into the temptation to go over the top.

There's not enough room here to give sufficient praise to many others, including Ian Kahn as Philip Faulconbridge, "the Bastard," who has the looks, the manner and the energy of a young Kevin Kline; Brian Reddy as the Cardinal; Cristine McMurdo-Wallis, who, as John's mother, wages a private war with Constance; and Edward James Hyland as Philip, who is more motivated by patriotism and family but ultimately succumbs to the same politically expedient behavior as John.

Shakespeare editorializes this less-than-kingly behavior through the virtuous Faulconbridge, who observes how "kings break faith upon commodity." It may be revisionist history, but given the state of current events, Shakespeare has never seemed so timeless.

All the action unfolds in an elegant map room that gradually crumbles after each battle. Toppled chairs and broken tables are repositioned to represent thrones, deathbeds or whatever else is needed. Scenic designer Anita Stewart's imaginative set is complemented by lighting designer Michael Giannitti, who uses strobes and smoke to simulate the bloody battles.

Going back to the 2000 season, when he worked magic (working with Weems and Giannitti, among others) with "Rhinocerous," Mullins has been on quite a roll, including "Tartuffe" in 2001, "The Illusion" in 2002, and now "King John." It may not be the first Shakespeare play you would want to see, but don't let mere unfamiliarity scare you off. It may not be a barrel of laughs, but you will go home with a smile on your face.

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