Albuquerque & Santa Fe - "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead"

Regional Reviews: Albuquerque/Santa Fe

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
The Vortex Theatre
Review by Carole C. Sullivan

Also see Carole's review of Skylight

Photo courtesy of The Vortex Theatre

Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead views Hamlet from the point of view of two supporting characters, with the major characters taking minor roles in the action. The play has been produced many times on both sides of the pond over the last sixty years. The Royal National Theatre production had a year-long Broadway beginning in October 1967. That production, which was Stoppard's first on Broadway, ran for eight previews and 420 performances and won the Tony Award for Best Play.

Originally a three-act play, The Vortex Theatre has chosen to present an edited version of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which runs without intermission for approximately 85 minutes. It is running in repertory (with almost the same cast) with Hamlet, something that has been done by several prominent theatre companies over the years.

Director Paul Ford has devised a fast-paced and clever Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. New to this production are Owen Reid Callis as The Player, Caitlin Kelly as Guildenstern, and Brian Haney as Rosencrantz. These outstanding players anchor the production and provide many moments of mirth. They possess excellent voices and spot-on diction. Owen Reid Callis nearly steals the show with his commanding portrayal, and Caitlin Kelly and Brian Haney work seamlessly well together and off each other.

The play is staged in the square of the Vortex black box with the audience seated on four sides and has been blocked to utilize the in-the-round setting well. Lighting by RayRey Griego and Emma Ziegler includes some clever under seat effects. Costumes by Kip Caswell and Louisa O'Neill are carefully color-coordinated for all members of the ensemble. Properties are minimal but effective. Sound design by Riley Lewis with music and startling crow calls enhance the sense of place. It is a minimal but very effectively designed production.

Ford employs a light touch to the human dilemma of our conscious awareness of mortality. This is a delightful production that doesn't take itself too seriously. Like its partner production of Hamlet, it is universally able to be understood and appreciated. Don't miss this modern classic!

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead runs through April 27, 2025, at The Vortex Theatre, 2900 Carlisle Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110 (505) 247-860. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm. Tickets are $$24, Discounted $20-student/union. For information call 505-247-8600 or www.vortexabq.org.

Directed by Paul Ford. Set Designer: Paul Ford; Lighting Design: RayRey Griego and Emma Ziegler; Costume Design: Kip Caswell and Louisa O'Neill; Sound Design: Riley Lewis; Movement Coach: Melissa Velasco; Property Designer: Nina Dorrance

The Cast: Brian Haney, Caitlin Kelly, Owen Reid Callis, Emiliano Aguilar, Clair Gardner, Eric W, Bodwell, Kainon Bachtel, Kellan Paine, Michelle Eiland, Ian R.Q. Slater, Versai Knight, Justin Young, Anne Portman, and Harry Zimmerman.