Reviews are in!

Shakespeare spoof offers no culture but plenty of laughs
Robert Hannon

Originally published Friday, October 17, 2008 at 12:00 a.m.
Updated Friday, October 17, 2008 at 12:00 a.m.

FAIRBANKS — A cultural fix: That is what a professor of mine called Shakespeare. My teacher thought most people go to see the Bard’s plays not because they like them, but because they want their periodic shot of sophistication.

Well folks, don’t worry about Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre’s latest production, “Omelet, Prince of Danish.” There’s not a sophisticated bone in its body. The play, written by local stage veterans Claudia Lively and Holly Olsen, has one aim: To poke spirited fun at highfalutin language, soliloquies and contrived plot developments. However, even as it deflates Shakespearean pretension, “Omelet” makes the playwright accessible for a new generation of performers and audience members.

As a play, “Omelet” follows the plot of “Hamlet:” The ghost of a murdered father incites his son to revenge. The son dithers, causing all sorts of complications.

If the storyline is familiar, the setting and time have shifted. The action takes place in contemporary America. The kingdom of Denmark has been replaced by a donut shop called “The King of Danish.” Royalty have been downsized to small town merchants waging a turf war over an adjacent parking lot.

One of the spoof’s conceits is renaming all of “Hamlet’s” characters after food, thus the Omelet/Hamlet connection. The puns don’t always work, but the effort underscores the good-natured silliness at the heart of this production.

The goofiness spills over into the performances. Jennifer Lane Domingos turns in a fun performance as Grapefruit, Omelet’s mother. Domingos plays her like a glitzy gangster moll, while Chris Lease portrays her husband, Candius, like a bearded Godfather, ala Marlon Brando.

Sarah Olsen has a charming wistful otherworldliness as Yolkphelia, Omelet’s sometimes girlfriend, especially when she drowns her sorrows in wine after being jilted.

Thomas Edwards displays versatility and comic inventiveness as Omelet. As he feigns madness he is called upon to engage in all sorts of outlandish behavior that younger audience members will love.

The cast is large and spans many generations. Other standout performers for me include Chris Mertes as Layercake, Mike Mertes as Balognius and Mike Downing who does double duty as both Omelet’s ghostly father and as his school chum Goldencorn.

The set serves up a functional donut shop interior, complete with a counter tops laden with pastries. Lively and Olsen have gleefully lavished a good deal of attention on details; audiences should especially take note of the menu items written on the signboards.

Renata Lively’s costumes display the same eccentric wackiness as the rest of the production. Omelet is dressed like a high-school jock in jeans and lettered jacket, while Layercake heads off to college in short pants, suspenders and a propeller topped beanie.

All this underscores the fact that reviewing a production like “Omelet, Prince of Danish” is beside the point. Like many forms of madcap humor, either you get it or you don’t. If some of the jokes and shtick seem labored or performances over the top that is part of the point. Don’t take this guy Shakespeare so seriously. This is in keeping with one of Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre’s goals, which is to expand the audience for the Bard, especially among young people.

So snobs, be warned: You won’t find culture here. But those of you who have shied away from the Elizabethan master because of archaic language or confusing plots may just find there is something zany in the state of Danish.

Robert Hannon is Public Affairs director at KUAC. He’s been involved in local theater for 20 years.