The cast of “King John.” Photo courtesy of Shakespeare Theatre Company.
“King John” is not a Shakespeare title that often inspires excitement. What has been described as Shakespeare’s “most political play” is in danger of reading as boring and confusing to a modern audience who is not privy to the family trees and politics of 13th-century England. Director Aaron Posner’s take on the play attempts to drag the play, kicking and screaming, into the modern world. By bookending the play with historical lectures from the cast and adding over-exaggerated, lip-sync numbers between scenes, Posner tries to lighten the play up and make Shakespeare fun as so many high school English teachers and theatre directors alike have attempted to do over the years, with varying levels of success.
…Malone handles the role of Constance with the clarity, passion, and gravity required by the character.
“King John” follows the titular monarch (Eric Lane) as he tries in vain to ward off France and the Catholic Church from English land and crown. The plot of the play is steeped in political developments, war, and questions of monarchical authority, none of which are particularly intriguing to the modern audience without the high-running emotions and entangled personal relationships of the large cast of characters. Lane’s John is eye-catching in his neurotic, frantic, and largely inept nature, but the two characters who capture the center of this play and production are Constance (Molly Malone) and her son, Arthur (Sadie O’Conor). “King John” is most notable as a Shakespeare play in its presentation of its women. Constance, who attempts to work with France to put her son on the English throne as the rightful king, is one of the most intelligent and well-spoken women in the Shakespearean canon, and Malone handles the role of Constance with the clarity, passion, and gravity required by the character. In her final monologue, Malone, dressed in a simple, long blue bedshirt (costume design by Becca Janney), draws a sharp contrast to the excessive wealth and petty rivalry of the monarchs of the play as she laments the potential loss of her son.
It is hard to imagine that a scene which depicts the woes of grief and motherhood so poignantly can coexist with John and Philip II of France (Amber Mayberry) breaking into high-energy song and dance at various moments throughout the play. But, perhaps there is something to be said about how the actions of the rich and powerful impact the citizens more than their own lives. Unfortunately, these juxtaposed moments of tragedy and over-the-top comic relief serve to create a confusing tone for an already confusing play. The choreography in these moments is impressive, but distracts from the stakes being created throughout the play. “King John” is ultimately at its best when Malone and O’Conor work to hit the heavy, emotional beats of their characters.
Creative and subtle lighting design by Minjoo Kim works with O’Conor’s well-placed naiveté and innocence in several scenes to create the most sobering moments of this production. “King John” is another opportunity to see a rarer Shakespeare play at a very affordable price, but also makes one wonder whether Shakespeare needs to be fun to be effective.
Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes with one intermission.
“King John” runs through July 26, 2025 at Shakespeare Theatre Compan, Klein Theatre, 450 7th Street NW, Washington D.C. 20004. For more information and to purchase tickets, please go online.
