‘Welcome back!’ Idaho Shakespeare opens with a thriller and a bit of a return to normal

Opening night 2021 at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival in Boise marked a welcome return to something that was at least close to normal — you know, the way things were before a global pandemic stopped the world and shut down ISF’s 2020 season.

This season still feels a bit different, but don’t let the heat or the pandemic protocols keep you away. It’s still a wonderful night of theater and community by the Boise Foothills.

Although last Saturday’s opening night was hot, it still was pleasant enough, with a breeze wafting through the riverside park and an abundance of shade in the amphitheater. By act two of “Sleuth,” it was cool enough for a wrap. A near-capacity crowd of more than 700 spread out for dining — some with masks, some without — at tables or on the grass, for a more literal picnic meal.

What’s changed

After a summer without productions, the festival made some changes and additions to the site that belong in the perks column. First, the Meadow Stage is just off the patio, attached to Cafe Shakespeare, now under the creative culinary management of James Beard Award semifinalist Chef Sarah Kelly. People sat at tables under umbrellas and on blankets near the stage, listening to the delightful world beats of Afrosonics. These Mini Concerts replace the festival’s Greenshow and start at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Check out the schedule to see who is performing.

The position of the new stage gives people more room to spread out and gives more focused attention to the musicians. There’s even space for an impromptu dance area if someone catches the spirit.

Moving into the amphitheater you’ll find another great addition. With the downtime, the festival hardscaped the formerly terraced grass seating area closest to the stage. So, voila — you no longer need to bring your own low-backed chair. And the other perk is that those folding chairs you once rented now are free for people on the hillside.

The main amphitheater seating is filled to capacity. The hillside is at 50% for those who want to spread out.

What’s the same

The best thing about ISF has not changed: the quality of the fare on-stage. The mystery-thriller “Sleuth” opened the summer for a monthlong run, as plays will not be performed in repertory — a precaution to keep actors and stage crew safe from COVID exposure.

Now, reviewing this play is tricky, because the enjoyment of this five-character piece comes from not knowing what’s coming next or who’s up to what. Proceed with caution and I’ll try not to provide any spoilers.

So here we go.

ISF producing artistic director Charlie Fee started producing more dramatic plays in the mystery/suspense genre that have become very popular with audiences. And the fact that this company can pull off these plays — literally in the broad daylight of an Idaho summer night — is a credit to Fee’s vision.

In “Sleuth,” noted old-school mystery novelist Andrew Wyke (David Anthony Smith) invites his new neighbor, Milo Tindle (Jeffrey C. Hawkins), for a cocktail. The two clash instantly — and not just because Tindle is Wyke’s wife’s lover. From there, Wyke’s penchant for games of all ilk — the kinds he employs to tell his overly clever mystery stories — begin to drive the conflict. Events quickly escalate, and the play’s twisting plot takes them from swaggering tensions and verbal sparring to downright deadly actions.

“Sleuth” explores how genre stories were told at a time when the elegant, sophisticated approach of Agatha Christie’s puzzle solver Hercule Poirot was giving way to the more realistic and gritty likes of Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in “The French Connection.” Along the way, playwright Anthony Shaffer exposes a clash of class and culture: Wyke is aristocratic, Tindle is the son of working-class immigrants. And the attitudes about women are pretty much cringe-worthy.

As much as I’m not a fan of the play, this is a dynamic production that offers a chance to see two veteran ISF company members at the top of their games, as they go head-to-head in a flurry of darkly tinged humor, wit and rich text.

Both are excellent, and Fee’s direction is best when he sets these two loose.

Smith’s epic voice serves him well as the bombastic and overblown Wyke, so self-satisfied that he eventually gets strung up by his own ego. He even has his own audience with him always, a laughing automated clown in a sailor suit (creepy).

Hawkins’ Tindle is Smith’s match in every way. And with a character that allows him more range, Hawkins takes every advantage to stretch. They are both best when in direct conflict, and that is often in this play. It’s like watching Olympic-level Greco-Roman wrestling.

Gage Williams’ two-story retro set is a meaty mix of ’70s kitsch and fading old-world aristocratic glory that helps telegraph that Wyke’s era is at its end. Esther M. Haberlen’s costumes achieve the same feel, with Smith dressed in opulent brocades and tweeds, and Hawkins in mod 1970s men’s attire.

And then there’s that creepy laughing clown ...

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This story was originally published July 15, 2021 at 1:16 PM.

Dana Oland

Idaho Statesman

Dana Oland is a former journalist the Idaho Statesman