‘Elizabeth Rex’ a big play with big themes

Some hiccups along the way but a number of strong performances lift the production by 11 Minutes Theatre Company

Elizabeth Rex by Paul Thompson and Timothy Findley is a big play with big themes. With a cast of 14 actors the production is currently being staged by 11 Minutes Theatre Company at the People’s Building in Aurora.

The story is set in Elizabethan England following a performance of Shakespeare’s play Much Ado About Nothing. Queen Elizabeth I has gathered the actors, all men as was the tradition in Elizabethan England, following the performance as a possible distraction from the impending execution the of Earl of Essex, thought to possibly be her ex-lover.  Under these circumstances, the theme revolves around gender identity and what it means to be a man or a woman when forced to hide behind the identity of the opposite sex to be successful.

The action takes place around the meeting between Queen Elizabeth I (Margaret Casart) and Ned Lowenscroft (Matthew Schultz), a gay man famous for playing women’s roles in Shakespeare’s plays. The ensuing storyline highlights their struggle with accepting and living out their true gender identity.

We also have the pleasure of William Shakespeare’s (Joseph Graves) company through the play as he guides the audience while notating possible dialogue for future plays. Comedic relief is brilliantly supplied by Percy (Verl Hite) acting as the traditional theatrical fool.

Margaret Casart as Queen Elizabeth I is utterly spellbinding. With her painted face and electric orange wig, Casart commands the stage throughout, making it nearly impossible to take your eyes off her. Her transformation throughout the play is dramatic and at times almost frightening. She has completely enveloped the character and gives a stunning performance.

As Ned Lowenscroft, Matthew Schultz gives a heartfelt performance demonstrating an impressive emotional range. Being resigned to playing female characters, he exhibits a certain amount of pride and pathos simultaneously. As Shakespeare, Joseph Graves gives an admirable performance as the playwright in residence. Constantly taking notes, Graves is appropriately warm and insightful. As Percy, Verl Hite is wonderfully caustic and the perfect fool.

The remaining cast provides important characters to the storyline, and they have been cast both gender specific and not. This adds to the overall theme of gender identity and the question revolving around what truly makes a man a man and what makes a woman a woman.

As previously mentioned, Elizabeth Rex is a big play. It is a large cast with larger-than-life characters. Directors Janine Ann Kehlenback and Tiya Trent have limitations put upon them by the theatre space itself. The People’s Theatre is a small space which often translates into a feeling of being cramped when the entire cast is on stage, while at other times it felt like the action might spill into the audience. And even though it is a small space, there were times when it was difficult to understand what was being said due to blocking choices and some muddled enunciation.

Credit must be given to 11 Minutes Theatre Company for taking on such a powerful theatrical piece as Elizabeth Rex.  It is a worthy production that should be seen especially for Margaret Casart’s outstanding performance as Queen Elizabeth I.