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TWO GENTLEMEN
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ABOUTTHE SHOW |
THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA is one of Shakespeare’s first plays, and likely his very first comedy. It contains many of the typical characters and situations that make Shakespeare’s comedies fun, including mixed-up love triangles, betrayals, disguises, misunderstandings and a band of outlaws in the woods.
The plot revolves around Valentine and Proteus, best friends from Verona. Proteus is in love with Julia, who (after some back and forth) loves him in return. When Valentine travels to Milan to work for the Duke, he and the Duke’s alluring but off-limits daughter Sylvia fall in love. Shortly after, Proteus must leave Julia and join his friend Valentine in Milan. Upon arriving, he immediately falls in love with Sylvia. As Valentine schemes to free Sylvia from her overbearing father and elope, Proteus plans to double-cross his friend and get Sylvia for himself. Mixed up in all of this are a goofy knight, Thurio, The Duke of Milan, Valentine and Proteus’ two well-intentioned but not-very-bright servants, and the citizens of Milan. Things get out of hand when Julia arrives in Milan disguised as a boy, and Valentine is banished to the woods and captured by a band of outlaws. In the end, all four lovers (Sylvia, Julia, Proteus and Valentine) end up in the woods and in an explosive final scene, all of the lies and disguises come to a head. The Performing Arts Company produces a Shakespeare show every other year, and this year Two Gentlemen seemed like a perfect fit. The language of the play is very accessible, and makes it one of Shakespeare’s easiest-to-understand shows. The play also has an extremely relevant and timely twist, in which Proteus tries to force himself on Sylvia, and Valentine and Julia (along with the audience) are challenged with what to do when someone you love does something wrong. |
