Ben Johnson’s satirical Volpone, first performed over 400 years ago, still entertains as a cynical exposure of greed. In Red Bull Theater’s current version, Stephen Spinella plays the title role as a fey farceur with a padded crotch and a kind of graceful vulgarity as he feigns illness and near death to squeeze gifts from the people who hope to be his inheritors. All give expensive tributes and parade their greed, with the connivance of Mosca (Cameron Folman), chief assistant and parasite to Volpone.
A chorus of three servants in fantastical costumes (by the inspired Clint Ramos) and zany makeup sing, dance and cavort throughout the play. The trio include a dwarf, and two transvestites — one a eunuch, the other a hermaphrodite (Teale Sperling, Sean Patrick Doyle and Alexander Sovronsky). They give us tight, lively, well-choreographed (by Tracy Bersley) ongoing mischief. Rocco Sisto, Michael Mastro and my old early Mime teacher, the marvelously comedic antique Alvin Epstein, all bring conviction and verve to their portrayals of greedy suitors. Then a splendid theatrical tornado enters the scene: the magnificent Tovah Feldshuh, the most stylized in manner and gown of them all. Her great comic presence fills the theater -- her every bark sparks laughs.
The entire spot-on cast is directed with great flair by Jesse Berger on John Arnone’s imaginative, stylized, very artistic set. Spinella is quite amazing: he even sings; and he is surely game to perform all the ridiculous exaggerated Commedia he does with full confidence. Does he get his comuppance? Go find out – you’ll have a good time.
