Dynamic actors act 'Duchess'

Nine dynamic actors flaunted their talent in last night's opening production of John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi in Annenberg Center's Studio Theatre. Belonging to a category of plays known as "revenge tragedies, The Duchess of Malfi revolves around murder as revenge for murder. By the play's end, six of the nine actors have been killed. At the opening of the play, the widowed duchess is warned by her tyrannical twin brothers -- for reasons unstated -- not to remarry. Her defiance of their demands leads to her subsequent persecution and death, as well as the death of those who plotted her murder. Despite the tremendous number of lines that had to be memorized -- the play ran for three hours -- the actors appear extremely comfortable and confident in their roles. The greatest strength of the performance is the cast's uninhibited outpouring of emotion. The actors arouse feelings of anger, melancholy, injustice and passion. As the Duchess, College senior Emily Helstrom is self-assured and bold, standing firm against her brothers up until the moment she accepts death. Playing the leading role of Duke Ferdinand, College senior Jeffrey Coon gives a powerful performance throughout the production. In the scene following his sister's murder, Coon assumes the convincing persona of a seething madman, wraught with guilt and melancholy. He does not hesitate to howl, scream, fall or fumble, making use of the entire stage. The actors are not remiss in creating sexual tension either. The lustful Julia, played by College senior Alanna Medlock, turns up the heat in the theatre when she passionately seduces her lover, the minister. College and Wharton senior Seth Shulman provides the play with both a tragic and humorous element in his dynamic role of Bosola, the murderer hired to kill the duchess. The nine actors remain on the stage at all times, even after their characters' deaths. The few props and costume changes are used to indicate the different roles the ensemble plays. Lighting is used to indicate changes in scene. The single backdrop portrays a white unicorn trapped in a wooden pen. The containment of this rare, mythical beast alludes to the imprisonment of the duchess -- within the confines of wooden chairs -- subsequent to her defiance of her brothers. Although the play ends in tragedy, the audience cannot help but leave the theater feeling empowered by the actors' genuine and empassioned performance. The Duchess of Malfi will be performed tonight and tomorrow and next Thursday through Saturday. Tickets will be sold on Locust Walk.

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