Reviews: Don't miss last four nights of free and fantastic Shakespeare in Chatham park

Editor's note: Due to a reporting error, the "Liv at Sea" review contained incorrect ticket prices. All tickets are $25.

CHATHAM ― The Cape Cod Shakespeare Festival in Chatham, now in its second season, will offer four more free performances Monday through Thursday.

Performances begin at 7 p.m. at Kate Gould Park on Main Street in Chatham. The rolling green lawn provides a perfect viewing spot but bring along a lawn chair and bug spray for maximum enjoyment.

The shows: The troupe of professional and community actors are doing “Much Ado About Nothing” and “As You Like It” in repertoire,with the latter scheduled for tonight, Monday, July 31.

The Bard is back in Chatham with local residents, businesses supporting free festival

Highlights: We caught a performance of “Much Ado About Nothing” and were much impressed with everything from Sadie O’Conor as the pre-show singer to the happy ending which sees everything sorted and everyone married.

Of special note: It was a treat to see local actor and author Bernard Cornwell, who spends part of the year in Chatham, playing Antonio. Cornwell, a British native who brings a weighty gravitas to his roles, spent more than a decade performing in everything from Shakespeare to Checkov on the Monomoy Theatre Stage, which is now closed, so it was nice to see him back on stage.

Laura Axelrod played a fiery, obstinate Beatrice but tempered her with loving kindness. The tension between her and Claudio, with a nicely nuanced manner portrayed by actor Jarrett Cordeiro, was both fun and touching.

One more thing: The sound was marvelous and the stage lights came on just as the natural light faded into darkness. Nicely done stage management by Shelby Barrett-Whitmore.

Go or no-go: Absolutely go. Great performance in a setting much like Shakespeare originally wrote for ― don't miss the opportunity.

If you go: It’s free, although donations are gratefully accepted; seats are bring-your-own and there were even a few well-behaved dogs who paused to watch during their evening walks. There is no program so check out the website to learn more.

Wellfleet Harbor Stage: Relationship tale at not for faint of heart

WELLFLEET — Wellfleet’s Harbor Stage Company is offering “Liv at Sea,” a world premiere of an original work by Robert Kropf, one of the company’s four founders. It’s a look at the deep-as-the ocean interior world of a couple whose relationship is foundering on the rocks, and the man who may be offering Liv (Paige O’Connor) a seat on a life raft (more on that later). Everything about the production is stark and direct, from the dialogue, to the bare-bones (but instantly effective) set design, to the actors’ demeanors and facial expressions. And just for good measure, there’s a little dark humor thrown in.

About the production: "Liv at Sea,” written and directed by Robert Kropf and presented by the Harbor Stage Company.What it's about: Here’s how it begins. Liv (Paige O’Connor) occupies the stage alone and stares into empty space. She wears an expression that is somewhere between sorrow and confusion, staring into the audience and pacing barefoot back and forth on a sand-colored-and-textured stage floor. From the start, she engages the audience and offers entry into her interior world.

Then there’s Nick (Nick Wilson), who tries to lighten the mood with small talk. There’s a discussion about whether or not Liv has made coffee. And then there’s the ultimate diversionary tactic, a discussion of take-out food. Nick says, “I didn’t want tacos; what I really wanted was Thai.” He rambles on as Liv stares into space, and eventually, they agree that “life is a horror movie.”

Then it becomes clear that Liv is considering jumping ship with someone she’s “passed in the street.” She says, “I need to breathe with him; I need to be with him.” Nick answers by asking, “Does he have a car? Is it a Volvo? How about a Saab? Maybe he has a midnight-blue Saab.”

Here’s where the sea comes in: Liv says she feels like she’s dying of thirst, and says, “If I don’t get to the sea I’ll be seasick my whole life.”

Then we meet Jack (Jack Aschenbach), the man Liv has passed in the street. Interestingly, it’s never really certain whether Jack is real or simply a figment of Liv’s imagination. But one thing is clear from the start; when Liv is with him, life is no longer a horror movie. O’Connor clearly demonstrates that by instantly changing her facial expression from deeply sorrowful to light and joyful.

Highlights of the show: This show is all about relationships with the people we love (or used to love) and ourselves. So the actors’ performances are critical. All the performances are strong and evocative, with O’Connor’s instantly morphing facial expressions and demeanor making hers the stand-out.

Go or no-go: Go for a stirring and emotional experience that will take you back to all those times in life when you were uncertain about which path to take. But be aware this is not for the faint-of-heart. And it’s certainly adult fare; leave the young people home and take them to one of the many musicals that Cape theaters are offering this summer.

Worth noting: The set is bare bones, with the backdrop and floor the color of sand. But there are also some interesting effects, with videos flashing on the backdrop, and a scene with Liv alone on the stage lit with a strobe light. Then there is a “time-travel” clock face, alerting us that an ensuing scene is actually set in a time before the last one.

One more thing: The Harbor Stage is the perfect place for an intimate look at personal relationships. It has the feel of a small Broadway theater back in the 1970s. There is also the feel in this of an Edward Albee piece, with its deep introspection, dark humor and look at a relationship at a critical stage. (Think “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.”)

If you go: 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays through Aug. 5 and Sundays at 5 p.m. Harbor Stage Company, 15 Kendrick Ave., Wellfleet. 508-514-1763. www.harborstage.org, tickets: $25 all seating. The show is selling out fast.

Sue Mellen

'Three Little Girls Down a Well' grows on you and makes you think

COTUIT ― Playwright Justin Elizabeth Sayre’s brand new offering, “Three Little Girls Down A Well,” at Cotuit’s Black Box theater, is described as a “doom comedy” and a “heartfelt and metaphorical play about climate change and our collective grief of collapse.”

Hmm …

I think it’s more doom than droll, but with the playwright’s note I could see references to climate change and collective collapse ― even though they were murky, buried in stylized cobwebs as was the stage.

I loved how Andrew Arnault, set designer and scenic painter, and scenic assistant Art Brisbane put us at the bottom of the well with the three little girls. The set and the mood music were perfect, especially in Cotuit’s tiny theater which had a couple of dozen folding chairs gathered around the stage. It felt like hearing a story by a campfire.

The show: “Three Little Girls Down a Well” by Justin Elizabeth Sayre, at Cotuit Center for the Arts’ Vivian and Morton Sigel Black Box Theater, directed by Jo Brisbane.

What it’s about: At her birthday party, someone throws Libby’s talking doll in the abandoned well and Libby accidentally falls in after her, as do Libby’s two friends. A year later, they still can't find the doll but they are all still down there with waning hopes of ever being found.

Highlights: This is truly an ensemble piece, with Lily Anderson as Marigold, the optimist who worships each sunrise filtering to the bottom of the well; Sandra Basile as Eleanor, the mother hen who starts a worm farm so they won’t starve and uses cast-off plastic for their daily needs; and Emma Hennessy as Libby, whose relentlessly practical pessimism is as shattering as the leg she broke falling down the well. Kudos to all for portraying 10-year-old girls authentically, rather than playing them through the lens of adult actresses.

See if or not: If you had asked me on opening night when I saw this, I would have been torn. But in the days since then, I find myself thinking of this play again and again, trying to puzzle out nuggets I didn’t even know were planted there.

They say good theater sticks with you, works on you and sometimes changes you. For all those reasons, see it.

One more thing: The play is 85 minutes with no intermission and throughout it all, my friend and I kept wondering “Why isn’t someone looking for these kids?” Is it perhaps, metaphorically, why are we not looking for a way to save the planet our children will need to survive?

If you go: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays, through July 30, Vivian and Morton Sigel Black Box Theater, Cotuit Center for the Arts, 4404 Falmouth Road (Route 28), artsonthecape.org, part of the pay what you can program.

Gwenn Friss

Stephen Sondheim tribute tells the story of love

You know him, you love him, or you at least know one of his songs. Stephen Sondheim is a legend in the world of musical theater. Sondheim’s characters and lyrics have worked their way through the musical theater landscape, showing up on Broadway, the silver screen, and the stages of school theaters across the globe.

To honor him and his work, the Peregrine Theater Ensemble has selected some of his best tunes for their Stephen Sondheim Tribute Revue. Selecting material from the likes of “Company,” “Follies,” “A Little Night Music,” and “Into the Woods,” the ensemble gives a moving tribute focusing on the sacrifices and harsh realities of love.

Written and performed by: With music and lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim, the ensemble — Kelly Taylor Brown, Darlene Van Alstyne, Grace Fluharty, Nina Pagan, Caitlin Zerra Rose, Aïssatou Thiam — is directed by Kyle Pleasant with musical direction by Kelly Taylor Brown.

What’s it about: In my humble opinion, the tribute is about love. Most of the works selected relate to that theme — whether underlying or overt. The lyrics speak directly to the feeling of love or speak about a person — women, in particular — someone loves or could love. Only a few songs are outliers — like “Everybody’s Got The Right” or “Something Just Broke” — from the overarching theme.

Highlight: “Not Getting Married Today,” performed by Fluharty, is hands down the most comical piece of the performance. Fluharty plays the distressed bride brilliantly, flailing on the stage and even crawling under the piano as she sings. The over-dramatic movements make the performance. She had the room laughing.

Fun fact: Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver were in the chorus of Sondheim’s “The Frogs” when it premiered at Yale in 1973.

See it or not: If you’re a Sondheim fan or want to hear some beautiful singing, go and give it a whirl. You have to know a little about the plays to understand the contexts of each song since it is a compilation of material from multiple works, but it’s not too hard to follow. But this is a revue so if you’re looking for acting, singing, and a plot line, this is probably not for you.

Worth noting: Since the vocalists all have higher-pitched voices, when they sing together combined with the sound of the piano, the sounds all merge into one.  I found myself struggling at times to distinguish individual singers from the other voices and sounds at a few points in the show, like in the opening number “Night Waltz.”

One more thing: The set design has to be noted. The show is designed to be like a series of bar or club singers, fit with tables topped with glass water bottles and glass cups and chairs at the edges of the stage and the grand piano in the middle. Sondheim’s sheet music flutters over the back wall and on the edge of the stage and two huge frames lined with lights act as on-stage dramatic lighting. It’s simple, yet stunning. Brava to Ellen Rosseau, the set frames designer, and Ben Berry, the artistic director.

If you go: Stephen Sondheim’s Tribute Revue will be playing until July 29 at Fishermen Hall in Provincetown. Show time is 7:30 p.m. each night and runs for 90 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $55 not including fees and can be bought online or at the door.

Frankie Rowley

'The Merry Widow' is a must-see at CLOC this week

The College Light Opera Company is midway through its 55th season. This week, the company performs “The Merry Widow.” The performance, in Falmouth, exceeded my expectations as I was laughing out loud — to the shock of my boyfriend sitting next to me as I don’t usually find many things funny — and encaptivated by the thrill of the drama.

While scandals are latent in the characters’ lives, the only thing scandalous about last night’s performance of “The Merry Widow” was paying $6 for a Coke. But I’d do it again every night this week, heck, I’d even pay $10 for a can if it was coming from the Highfield Theatre concession stand during the first or second intermission of this show.

At the end of the play, I was left standing with the rest of the audience for ovations as this entire cast deserved that and roses thrown on the stage. I found myself wondering who hurt composer Franz Lehár and librettists Viktor Leon and Leo Stein so badly they had to turn their pain into comedy? Because, not to be mean, but I’m glad they did. Heartbreak makes you funny! And this play emanates heartbreak hilarity.

Written and performed by: “The Merry Widow” is a German operetta by Hungarian composer Franz Lehár, based on the 1861 play “L’Attache d’ambassade” by Henri Meilhac. The College Light Opera Company’s performance is directed by Mark Pearson and musically directed by Mila Henry. Halle Rosemond and Nathan Tilton star in the leading roles as Hanna Glawari and Danilo.

What’s it about: When the country of Pontevedra goes bankrupt, the Embassy staff in Paris begin to scheme to save themselves from financial ruin — with the added pressure of death from the Emperor to motivate them. They find their salvation in Hanna, a widow who inherited her late husband’s riches, and become Pontevedrian matchmakers to ensure her wealth stays at home and doesn’t travel abroad. Their Pontevedrian prince charming is a bachelor, a count, and the nephew of the Emperor but to the ignorance of the Embassy staff, their prince has already had relations with their “National Economic Monument.”

Highlight: Can I say the whole operetta? But, if I had to pick one, the kickline during “Women! Women! Women!” is hilarious and charming. Who needs the Rockettes when the men of the Pontevedrian Embassy can kick, sing and dance? They’re flirty, they’re fun, and they’re coordinated in their kicks. Props to choreographer Olivia Swanson and to the dancers, I cannot imagine how much time went into getting that right in rehearsals.

Fun fact: “The Merry Widow” premiered in 1905 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna.

See it or not: As I said earlier, I would pay $10 for a can of Coke if I was buying it from the Highfield Theatre concession stand. You wouldn’t guess that most of these young people are still in school with the performance they gave Tuesday. Anyone who is reading this review right now — yes, you, behind the screen — should go see this production, you will not be disappointed.

Jokes that made me cackle: This show is hilarious and as someone who doesn’t usually get the joke, or find it funny, I was laughing all night. Here are three jokes I found hilarious:

• Hanna being called a “National Economic Monument,” was the first giggle I let out. She’s rich, she’s a national asset, she can save us all! We’re going to call her a “National Economic Monument” as if she’s not a person at all!

• We learn from Olga (Bella Bosco) that Hanna’s husband died five days after they wed, leaving her all his riches. Her reaction? “My husband would never do that for me!”

• “If I can’t change his mind, I can at least try to change the lady,” says Njegus (Caroline Hawthrone playing a man) as he rushes to attempt to swap out the Baron’s wife, Valencienne (Caroline Goodwin) with Hanna in order to prevent the Baron Zeta (Antonio Esposito) from finding out that it was in fact his wife he saw messing around with Camille (Orlando Montalvo Avalo) in the pavilion. Njegus is too good for the Baron, constantly trying to keep him from finding out the truth of his wife’s affair as she so carelessly gallivants around the Embassy on Camille’s arm.

Worth noting: Speaking of Njegus, Hawthorne carries the hilarity of the show. From her facial expressions to the accent she gives Njegus, Hawthorne had everyone laughing with her take on the faithful secretary of the Embassy. I would advise against the eyeliner and mascara, she’ll have it running down your face by intermission as you laugh until you cry.

One more thing: The show has two intermissions, a 20-minute break between acts one and two and a 10-minute break between acts two and three. Refreshments must be ordered in advance during the first intermission for service during the second. Also, go outside during the breaks, it’s a little stuffy inside but the courtyard is beautiful and the band lines up on the balcony and plays a little tune to let you know when it’s time to go back inside.

If you go: “The Merry Widow” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. nightly through July 22, except for July 20, at Highfield Theatre in Falmouth. There will be a 2 p.m. matinee on July 20. Tickets: $40 at collegelightoperacompany.com

Frankie Rowley

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Reviews: Sondheim's best and 'The Merry Widow' grace Cape Cod stages