A Man For All Seasons

By Robert Bolt

Directed by Edward Sobel

At Timeline Theatre

615 W. Wellington

Chicago, IL

Call 773-281-8463, tickets $25

Thursdays & Fridays at 8 PM

Saturdays at 4 & 8 PM

Sundays at 2PM

Running time is 2 hours, 30 minutes with intermission

Through December 18, 2005

Timeline’s remounting of A Man For All Seasons plays flat

Timeline Theatre, know for well constructed history plays, has mounted a worthy retelling of Thomas Moore’s struggle to balance his personal integrity, conscience and staunch beliefs in the power of the Catholic Church against his king’s commands. David Parkes, articulate, charismatic and confident as Thomas Moore never seems to be bothered about his personal demise. Parkes’ blasé attitude seems to blunt the emotional reaction of his allies such as the Duke of Norfolk, played intensely by Kurt Ehrmann.

Maybe it’s the breezy ramp-like staging or the modern casual dress but this production lacks enough dramatic tension to engage us into Bolt’s drama of ideas. It sure didn’t help that Brad Woodard, as King Henry VIII come off as light-weight sovereign more interested in sailing a ship and writing music than affairs of state. Bolt has underwritten the king’s part in this play. John Carter Brown, as Cromwell, and Madison Dirks, Richard Rich are excellent as the ambitious corrupt bureaucrats doing the king’s bidding.

I admire David Parkes’ performance, its director Edward Sobel’s decision to present Moore as uninterested player in his own demise that doesn’t create enough drama to sustain the long wordy piece. A Man for All Seasons is still worth seeing as the debate over personal conscience versus the need to conform is an issue that never seems to get resolved.

Somewhat Recommended

Tom Williams

Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments

December 4, 2005

Jeff Recommended

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