“THE WINTER’S TALE (2001) As vengeful King Leontes, Lisa Wolpe has a startling grasp on Shakespeare’s text and the function of each line she speaks. Summoning such crystalline emotion as to leave us breathless, she gives an aweinspiring depiction of love turned to tyranny.
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“TWELFTH NIGHT (2000) LAWSC With the huge John Anson Ford Amphitheater to play in, the Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company has great fun with one of the Bard’s most fanciful comedies. The entire cast makes much of the fact they are all women, a conceit that broadens the comedy and sharpens the jokes.
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“Lisa Wolpe sets immediate high standards with a masterful performance of Leontes, the Sicilian monarch driven by sudden jealous rage to destroy his loving wife (Kimberleigh Aarn). Unlike Othello, Leontes is not the victim of an evildoer’s manipulation, but rather overtaken by some inner, all-consuming darkness. As in many other portrayals, the reasons remain opaque, but Wolpe makes utterly credible both the king’s cruelty and his subsequent remorse once the veil of madness has lifted.
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“Fine performances and the steady hand of director and company founder Lisa Wolpe contribute to the success in staging one of Shakespeare’s most difficult works…Contemplating the universal hierarchy of humanity and the gods, of the mysteries of the divine, of the powerful legacy of paganism and the endless pageant of human struggle is in itself rewarding. Director Wolpe and her fine ensemble deserve much credit for offering us this opportunity for contemplation.
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“A match made in heaven … stellar production values … outstanding set, lights, sound and costuming. … this partnership is an elixir of the purest theatricality! The focal point of this richly appointed presentation is the steadfast, magnificently shaded performance of Fran Bennett… the supporting cast is exceptional!
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“Artfully conceived and psychologically astute – this is an “Othello” to savor. –
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“In Othello, playing at Boston Court, Wolpe takes a turn as Iago. It’s difficult to pay attention to Iago’s initial dialogue, as your brain is taking a moment to process how perfectly Wolpe creates a male character. It’s the same feeling you get when you first hear a British performer flawlessly pull off an American accent – you just marvel at the fact they’re actually doing it, before you can take it for granted and watch the story… It isn’t about a swagger or a lowering of voice. Just watching the way Iago sits and holds his cigarette tells you not only that he’s a man, but a man of a certain class (not that high), a man of a certain attitude (that the world should give him what he believes is his due), and a man of thoughtfulness. Wolpe approaches Iago with a level of understanding – if not actual sympathy – for the villain, creating a character who is conniving, but also delightfully human. Her Iago knows he’s never going to be a dominating physical presence, so he smoothly talks other people into thinking that what he wants is in their best interest. And when Othello promotes Cassio over Iago, Iago feels unjustly betrayed, and thinks that revenge is his right. Wolpe’s Iago is complex, but her interpretation is never confused. It’s a splendid performance, well-served by Wolpe’s own direction.
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“Villainous Iago Steals the Show…Lisa Wolpe is a standout bad guy in an all-female ‘Othello’ at the Theatre @ Boston Court.
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“TOPS EVERY OTHELLO WE HAVE EVER SEEN! Topping the LAWSC production is the performance of Lisa Wolpe as Iago. Wolpe has played them all, from Romeo to Lear, from Shylock to Richard III, and in all she has been outstanding, but here she outplays even herself! –
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