Shakespeare or not, 'Double Falsehood' is well-played

Think of it as Shakespeare Lite.

Double Falsehood, the second of two offerings in the Stolen Shakespeare Guild's Stolen Shakespeare Festival, may or may not have been co-written by the Bard.

But while the material in this well-mounted production certainly has an Elizabethan feel, you won't confuse it with King Lear. This play, based on a story from Cervantes' Don Quixote, is believed to have started as a collaboration between Shakespeare and John Fletcher. But it has passed through other hands over the years and was probably altered. The result is a drama with a Shakespearean tone but with dialogue that is not nearly so opaque as that found in the real thing.

This production features some fine performances, especially in the lead roles. Thomas Fletcher and Lauren Morgan, as the young lovers Julio and Leonora, are at the heart of the matter and they carry the load comfortably. Carter Frost handles the pivotal role of Roderick adroitly. Kirk Corley and Eddie Zertuche, as the fathers of the Leonora and Julio, also turn in good performances (especially in a powerful scene that requires them to play off each other).

The only major role not fully realized at the opening-night performance seen for this review was Christopher Reaves as Henricks, the rake who wants to come between Julio and Leonora. His tentative work suggested that he had not settled into his character.

Director Jason Morgan bears some responsibility for that. But otherwise, he does some excellent work in staging a play that has such a shallow performance history. Morgan not only maintains a zippy pace (the show runs less than two hours) but also adds some artful touches, such as using silent tableaux to convey some of the ugliest moments in this story of unrestrained passions.

Another area where this production excels is Lauren Morgan's costuming, which has an early 19th-century look.

So there are few problems with the production itself. The play, however, is a bit more problematic.

The characters and plot of Double Falsehood are often compelling. But, on the whole, this work lacks the wit and grace of true Shakespeare. Also, the ending (which is the fault of Cervantes) is odd at best and a total creep-out at worst.

So you are not likely to think this play belongs on your shelf along side Hamlet and Twelfth Night. But it is an interesting and entertaining choice. Any debate about the authorship of this work is, ultimately, much ado about nothing.