“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” is a quirky Arthurian romance penned in alliterative Middle English in the 14th-century by the anonymous Pearl Poet.  Because it is one of my favorite stories, of all the Planet Connections productions I was slated to see, my hopes were highest for this adaptation of the legend, The Green Knight, written by Brian Rady and directed by Jeremy Bloom.

The legend is about a knight who–you guessed it–is entirely green: armor, horse, skin, the works.  On Christmas Day, this verdant villain rides into King Arthur’s court to challenge one of his famous knights.  Sir Gawain, Arthur’s nephew, steps up to the challenge and embarks on a year-long journey, whose trials are infused with dark magic and temptation, to prove his chivalry and settle the score with the Green Knight.

The Green Knight sort of begins at the top of the stairs leading to 45 Bleecker’s downstairs theater, The Green Room.  The usher taking tickets at the door lapses suddenly into a brokenly scripted Arthurian diatribe before the audience is permitted to enter.  When we finally make our way down the stairwell to the theater this character breaks her soliloquy to inform us that the emergency exits lie beyond the narrow stairway by which we entered the dungeon.  For better or for worse, there is no getting out of this trial now.

As the audience settles into their seats, a gaggle of imbeciles dressed entirely in makeshift pink outfits is dancing off stage in the corner of the room to live drumming.  Audience members are offered complimentary cups of red wine, and soon, the twirling imbeciles, take their places on stage: King Arthur, Guinevere, Morgan le Fay, Sir Gawain, Sir Gawain’s horse, and members of court–the whole pink posse is there.

The imbeciles-turned-actors, as it turns out, are fantastic.  They at once mock the deliberately quirky and shoddy costumes and set design while completely enrapturing the audience in an Arthurian legend gone postmodern.  They meet the challenge of an updated, edgy and highly alliterative script and spin off these ceaselessly tongue-twisting lines with ease.

As the Green Knight interrupts the yuletide feast at King Arthur’s court, the scene succeeds in being at once engaging and funny.  We are rooting for this goofy Gawain, even as he rides off on his horse–piggy-backed on an actor wearing a horse head.  We watch as Sir Gawain becomes deterred on his journey to challenge the Green Knight at a debaucherous castle belonging to Lord and Lady Bertilak.  We watch the climactic scene, awash in green lighting, when Sir Gawain finally meets again the infamous Green Knight.  And the whole deliberately overacted and under-designed production comes together with aplomb to make a must-see whirl of wild wonderment and haughty hilarity.

The Green Knight was absolutely the most entertaining, hilarious, seamless performance I’ve seen in a long time.  My only criticism?  Lose the preface at the precipice.  We don’t need the usher’s diatribe as intro, and the language didn’t quite match the purply-pink parlance we’d be presented with during the bulk of the play; it merely felt like an unnecessary delay to seeing a play that would bring this legend to life, utterly delight us, and hardly be a dud.

Cast:

Scott Morse, Thomas Crawford, Veracity Butcher, Kareem Lucas, Amanda Bloom, Holly Chou, Laura Siszkin-Fernandez, Catherine LeFrere, Joel Sinensky, Joyce Miller, Brett Aresco

~~~

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Planet Connections Theatre Festivity is New York City’s premiere eco-friendly theatre festival, connecting artists and audiences with diverse dynamic charitable organizations. The Planet Connections experience entertains, enlightens and informs.

The Happiest Medium (proud sponsors of The Planet Connections Festival), is excited to welcome the festival!  We will be reviewing a number of the shows, but will continue to run Q&A throughout the festival.

Today we ask one question each of Brian Rady, writer of The Green Knight and Ken Scudder of  Green! Considering this is an eco-friendly festival, these two plays have the market cornered on good titles.  Let’s find out why, when it comes to their shows, it’s easy being green . . .

The Green Knight

answers by Brian Rady

Here’s Antonio’s question -

If you would have to single out a quality between dialogue, plot or character, which one is the strongest in your play/piece, and why?

Dialogue. The intricate alliterative verse of the original medieval epic poem seduced all kinds of playful modifications while adapting.

Here’s Karen’s question -

What has been the most surprising or unexpected thing that’s happened during this play? Did that wind up taking the play in a new direction?

Here’s Anne’s question -

What do you think is the central theme and reason this play was conceived?

The poem, “Sir Gawain & The Green Knight” is one of the most bizarre legends of the English language. I was definitely drawn to the story because it relishes oddity and takes as its subject the challenge to believe the unbelievable.

Here’s Stephen’s Question -

Why should the audience (we) go to your play? What will the audience learn about the “human condition” by going to your play?

Audience will learn a thing or two about the absurdity of chivalry, royal hunting parties, and the power of jealous magic.

Here’s Sarah’s Question -

What is your favorite line from the play?

How fat the flesh and how ample the servings!

From their rumps and from their round backs, oh how ample!

Here’s Diánna’s Question -

What about this play do you feel most drawn to personally, and because of that, what message do you hope the audience walks away with?

Don’t lose sight of what you seek, but realize that life is a vast, edifying and mysterious game.

* * *

GREEN!

answers by Ken Scudder

Here’s Antonio’s question -

If you would have to single out a quality between dialogue, plot or character, which one is the strongest in your play/piece, and why?

I would say character, especially as they are being interpreted and presented by this cast.

Here’s Karen’s question -

What has been the most surprising or unexpected thing that’s happened during this play? Did that wind up taking the play in a new direction?

Finding out that we have more of a farce than a satire.

Here’s Anne’s question -

What do you think is the central theme and reason this play was conceived?

The central theme would be don’t trust every great opportunity you get; but have some laughs either way.

Here’s Stephen’s Question -

Why should the audience (we) go to your play? What will the audience learn about the “human condition” by going to your play?

The audience should come to the play to laugh their asses off and hear some amazing new songs. They will learn that life is funny, and has good music to boot.

Here’s Sarah’s Question -

What is your favorite line from the play?

The six-foot sock puppet says I have issues.

Here’s Diánna’s Question -

What about this play do you feel most drawn to personally, and because of that, what message do you hope the audience walks away with?

I’m drawn to the humor in the situations and the interplay among the characters. I hope the audience takes away the message of life is funny, even when it’s not.

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