Villains take center stage in 'Devils,' a master class in Shakespeare's evil

Do you believe in evil?

Looking at the world — today, decades ago, centuries ago — how could you not?

But did Shakespeare?

Tony nominee and Grammy Award winner Patrick Page asks that question in "All the Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented the Villain," his 80-minute off-Broadway production at the DR2 Theatre.

A mix of master class and theater, Page delves into a dozen of the Bard's most wicked creations. Full of insight and humor, Page expertly performs his role as teacher and actor with such joy and passion that it's hard not to be entranced.

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He begins with words from the Scottish play, moving on to Richard III, Shylock from "The Merchant of Venice" and Malvolio in "Twelfth Night."

"There is something sexy about evil, isn’t there?" Page says. "Shakespeare was discovering that, despite ourselves, we are often seduced and titillated by characters who stand outside the bounds of everyday morality."

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The baddies keep coming, from Claudius in "Hamlet" to Angelo in "Measure for Measure" to Iago in "Othello."

Now it's true some people in the audience may have never read some of these works, or seen a version of any kind. Others may find Shakespeare intimidating or confusing. But never fear. Page will help you understand these characters. What is their motivation? What is their mindset? What was going on in Shakespeare's mind?

And it's a good bet you'll leave with a curiosity to know more.

It goes without saying that if you're a fan of Shakespeare, you're going to love every minute of this. You may even learn a thing or two.

Those who have seen Page on stage (most recently as Hades in "Hadestown") know he is a force of nature. He may not have the voice of God, but he certainly has the voice of the devil. His deep bass commands attention.

Dubbed “The villain of Broadway” he also has played The Grinch, Scar in "The Lion King" and, lest we forget, the Green Goblin in "Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark."

Speaking of the dark, lighting designer Stacey Derosier keeps things dim, which sets the mood as we descend into depravity. Directed well by Simon Godwin, the artistic team features scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado, costumes by Emily Rebholz and sound by Darron L. West.

"We've raised a lot of dangerous spirits here tonight," Page says near the end.

And talked a lot about revenge, a driving force of evil. It's brought up again at the final moment of the show, which is taken, appropriately, from Shakespeare's final work, "The Tempest."

Does evil go on? You can't argue with history.

How do we deal with it? That is the question.

Go: "All the Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented the Villain," through Jan. 7, 2024, DR2 Theatre, 103 E. 15th St., $110 to $160; 212-239-6200, allthedevilsplay.com.

Bill Canacci can be reached at bcanacci@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shakespeare: All the Devils Are Here stars Patrick Page: review