Charlene Baldridge

By cutting out a lot of folderol with minor characters, guest director Mark Lamos trims the viejo globo’s production of “Two Gentlemen of Verona” to 95 minutes performed without interval. An engaging evening with exceptionally pleasing visual design by John Arnone, it opened on a shirtsleeve evening (Aug. 16) and continues through Sept. 14 in the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. 

“Two Gentlemen of Verona” is an early Shakespeare comedy with many glimmers of characters and situations yet to come and a through line that’s a dog. I mean, really a dog. A dog named Crab (Khloe Jezbera), who belongs to a servant named Launce, a character whose role was mercifully uncut. Crab is quite literally superb, an obedient black lab garbed in an Elizabethan ruff by costume designer Linda Cho.

Launce (Richard Ruiz) is factotum to a young gentleman of Verona named Proteus (Adam Kantor), who is in love with Julia (adorable Kristin Villanueva). Proteus, who turns out to be quite detestable before the play is over, is sad when his best friend, Valentine (Hubert Point-Du Jour) is sent to Milan to complete his education at the Duke’s court. The Duke (Mark Pinter) hopes his daughter, Silvia (Britney Coleman), will wed the wealthy fop Turio (Lowell Byers), who, garbed in green, has an outstanding codpiece. Valentine, however, has already fallen in love with Silvia and she with him, something Proteus learns but ignores.

Proteus’s father (Arthur Hanket) sends Proteus (accompanied by Launce and Crab) to the court as well, and when Proteus sees Silvia, he, too, falls in love with her, immediately forgetting Julia and his promise. Through numerous devices, the cunning Proteus does everything within his power to separate Silvia from Valentine, her father and Turio. Valentine is ousted from the court when the Duke discovers his intent to elope with Silvia.

Meanwhile, back in Verona, Julia, certainly made of steel, disguises herself as a young lad and follows Proteus to the court, where she learns the truth about his promise of fidelity to her.

In this cut version of the play Sir Eglamour (Adam Gerber) helps Silvia to escape the madding crowd, and all, including the Duke, wind up in a forest near Mantua, where the exiled Valentine has become leader of a group of exiles.

Despite his dastardly machinations, Proteus is forgiven, everyone is properly paired, the exiles are forgiven and a joyful wedding with dancing ensues.

Fitz Patton’s original music is a plus, and so is the movement provided by Jeff Michael Rebudal. Stephen Strawbridge is lighting designer, and Acme Sound Partners is responsible for excellent lighting that helps determine locale, along with Arnone’s clever, reversible trees.

This Shakespeare veteran is especially fond of Arnone’s fairytale castles. Such scenic design is now possible because playing Shakespeare in alternating repertory is no longer practiced, giving the designers more creative freedom. The Globe/USD actors are wondrously used here.

Villanueva takes the trophy for the toughest Shakespearean balls. Though also a female, the unflappable Crab comes in a close second. Director Lamos’s production is thoroughly frothy, with all the darker elements swept under the forest floor. Why belabor darkness when there is so much light, and even bare-chested boys?

—Charlene Baldridge has been writing about the arts since 1979. Her book “San Diego, Jewel of the California Coast” (Northland Publishing) is currently available in bookstores. She can be reached at [email protected].