A review of The Rude Mechanicals & Richland Players production of Equivocation by Bill Cain

A brief history lesson before we begin:

In 1603, Queen Elizabeth I passed away, and her cousin’s son, James VI of Scotland, inherited the English Crown as King James I. The country tried to adjust to their new King’s quirks and beliefs, including his obsession with witches, the fact that he wrote and published a book titled Daemonologie, and that he commissioned a new translation of the Bible (which is still used today).

England had officially been a Protestant country under Queen Elizabeth’s rule. When she died, English Catholics expected more religious tolerance under King James I. These hopes were dashed in early 1604 when, in a speech to Parliament, James I said he “detested” the Catholic faith.

Due to this, a group of Catholic conspirators organized an assassination attempt on the King—now known famously as “the Gunpowder Plot”—by trying to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament on November 5, 1605.

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If this sounds remotely familiar, you have probably heard of Guy Fawkes Day or Bonfire Night, watched Dr. Who, or seen the film V for Vendetta. The failed Gunpowder Plot was a definite watershed moment in England’s history.

The playwright of Equivocation, Bill Cain, states: 

It is the founding event of modern England…. the story has been told for over 400 years, and the government’s version of the story has become a national myth. The only thing we know for certainty… it could not have occurred in the way the government claimed.

Cain says that Equivocation “offers a plausible alternative.”

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This is the jumping-off point of the political thriller/drama/dark comedy that two local theatre companies, the Rude Mechanicals and the Richland Players, showcase in their production of Equivocation.

This co-production is the first time any theatre on this side of the state has produced Equivocation, so the title may not sound familiar. Major props need to be given for these two companies coming together to tackle such a workhorse of a show. The chutzpah of the cast and crew is commendable, and if you are a fan of deep, thought-provoking political dramas such as The West Wing, The Crown, or Shakespeare’s Histories and Tragedies, then this is the show for you!

Equivocation proposes the idea of what would happen if William Shakespeare (“Shagspeare” or “Shag” in the production, confidently portrayed by J. Spyder Isaacson) were commissioned by the Prime Minister, Robert Cecil (portrayed in a deliciously villainous way by Robert Chisholm), to write the ‘true history’ of the Gunpowder Plot. Granted, this request is from the Prime Minister of England, so Shags and his company of actors realize this request may be an attempt at a political cover-up. They are confronted with the ultimate moral and artistic dilemma: Do they speak the truth and possibly lose their heads? Do they take the money and lie? Or, is there a way to equivocate themselves through this situation and come out on top at the end?

Director Emily Sarah Richman has brought together a terrific ensemble cast of six actors portraying dozens of characters. J. Spyder Isaacson portrays Shags; Joan Kathren portrays Shags’ daughter, Judith; and the remaining four actors—Travis Franks, Deven Austin, Derik Radcliffe, and Robert Chisholm—take on the task of portraying characters such as the King’s Men (Shakespeare’s acting company), Father Henry Garnet, King James I, Sir Robert Cecil, Thomas Wintour, Robert Catesby, and the characters from Macbeth. Sometimes, the actors even portray multiple characters at one time, such as Deven Austin’s fantastic, comical work portraying King James I watching Macbeth, while also playing Macduff in the production King James I is watching. That may sound confusing, but the character work and blocking make it easy to follow along, and it is quite entertaining.

Due to the cast being an ensemble of six people portraying multiple characters, it can sometimes get confusing to figure out who is portraying who in which scene. (This can be especially challenging for someone who is experiencing an ensemble production of this magnitude for the first time.) Watch carefully for clues the director and actors give the audience through their body language, dialects, and how the lighting and sound design help differentiate different areas of the stage as different settings in the story.

If you are familiar with Shakespeare and his work, you will find multiple ‘easter egg’ moments, including some great scenes with Judith, Shag’s daughter (Joan Kathren), complaining directly to the audience about how she hates soliloquies (and plays) in general. Multiple references to Shakespeare’s work—including shout-outs to King Lear, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, and Macbeth—are used throughout the play. However, if this is your first experience with anything Shakespeare-related (besides reading his work from a thick textbook in your high school English class), you will still appreciate much of the play and understand the universality of the ideas being explored.

One of the most powerful parts of the story, in my opinion, is when Shags meets Father Henry Garnet in Act II. Father Garnet (Travis Franks) is accused of lying about his knowledge of the Gunpowder Plot. The conversations between these two men are intimate, powerful, and, at times, even humorous. Shags shares his ideas for Macbeth with the Jesuit Priest and acknowledges the Porter Scene will include a nod to the priest with a joke about equivocating. (Fun fact: The Porter scene in Macbeth also contains the first knock-knock joke in recorded history.)

These moments move the plot along to the tragic conclusion, where the characters face the reality of what it means to live (and die) during King James I’s reign. I encourage you to watch for ‘bookend moments’—moments in Act I that return in Act II to powerfully reflect on the themes of the play.

Overall, this production of Equivocation is the type of play that requires its audience to follow along closely as the dialogue is rich and concentrated, much like an Aaron Sorkin drama. The show is extremely powerful and will leave you wanting to learn more about this time in England’s history and start a discussion with your fellow audience members about how this story is still (scarily) relatable in 2024.

I also want to acknowledge the fantastic work of the production team, including costumes (Morgan Ralston), set design (Will Thurston), fight choreography (Pierce Williams), and intimacy choreography (Kimberly Starr). When you attend, I encourage you to look through the show’s program to learn more about the artisans who worked hard behind the scenes to bring it to life.

For additional information about the show and this particular production, visit rmtheatre.org.

Ellicia Elliott is the Events Editor for Tumbleweird, a theatre director, and an educator. She holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Idaho. She lives and works on the traditional lands of the Palouse, Cayuse, Umatilla, Yakama, and Walla Walla Peoples.

For more reviews and writings, visit www.elliciaelliott.com/reviews.