First Folio plays it straight with 'Castle of Otranto'
First Folio Theatre could have played it safe this Halloween season by staging a show around household-name monsters or by reviving its hit 2006 production of "The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe."
Instead, First Folio took a chance on a world premiere adaptation of Horace Walpole's 1764 gothic novel "The Castle of Otranto."
On paper, it sounds like a good idea. Walpole is held up as the father of the horror-filled gothic novel, and it would feel right at home in the mock-Tudor and gothic-styled surroundings of Mayslake Hall.
But the drama is a bit of a disappointment, despite the other top-notch elements that have gone into building "The Castle of Otranto" (like Angie Miller's medieval Italian castle set and Elsa Hiltner's plush period costumes).
"The Castle of Otranto's" main problem is its source material. Walpole's novel, is melodramatic to a fault with wailing damsels in distress (Caitlin Chuckta as Princess Isabella, Hayley L. Rice as Lady Matilda and Rosalind Hurwitz as Baroness Hippolyta). There's also a progeny-obsessed scheming villain in Baron Manfred (David Girolmo), who could easily be twisting his mustache for lecherous fun.
Then there are the outrageous curse-related horror events that are either too cliché or downright laughable. For example, a bleeding altar wall is supposed to be terrifying (it probably would have been if every other horror film hadn't overused that disturbing image). On the silly side, an unseen character gets squashed by an enormous helmet that drops out of nowhere.
First Folio managing director David Rice is in a bind with his adaptation. With such weird occurrences, Rice would have been justified in making "The Castle of Otranto" a campy horror comedy that ribs the original book. But since most audiences aren't familiar with the novel, Rice opts to play things serious and straight (a decision that could unintentionally push audiences to giggle at the absurd moments).
Director Alison C. Vesely and her cast also seem a bit hampered by the serious tone. Any servants' humor for the duo of Jacques and Diego (Eli Branson and Jim Kozyra) dissipates too soon, while the likable feisty servant Bianca (Lindsay Leopold) is given far too little stage time.
The only truly effective actors are Chris Amos and Dev Kennedy. Amos brings an affable "Dude, I can't believe this is happening!" attitude to his character as the handsome and chivalrous servant Theodore, while Kennedy's dignified turn as the Mysterious Knight is spot on (their sword fight choreographed by fight director Nick Sandys is also a production highlight).
In terms of offering up something different for Halloween, First Folio deserves kudos for taking a big risk on "The Castle of Otranto." It's just too bad that the source material ended up sabotaging the end result.
"The Castle of Otranto"
Rating: 2 stars
Location: First Folio Theatre at Mayslake Hall, Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St., Oak Brook, (630) 986-8067 or firstfolio.org
Showtimes: 8 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 1
Running time: 2 hours and 15 minutes with intermission
Tickets: $28 to $30; $23 to $25 students/seniors
Parking: Free nearby lot
Rating: For general audiences (though younger kids might be scared by murder and ghosts).