ART's 'Stag' a fairy tale for all ages

By Charity Atchison

For the Daily

If you're tired of your midterms, take a break in the land of Serendippo where, according to actress Kristine Goto, "bad things don't happen." Set in the Oriental kingdom of Serendippo, "The King Stag" is a fairy tale for all ages.

Written by Carlo Gozzi, the fairy tale draws from Japanese bunraku, Indonesian shadow puppetry and the lively Italian Renaissance street theater. It is a light and comic story of a search for love. The handsome King Deramo is looking for a wife who will love him for him and not for his money. The King has a magical statue to help him determine whether or not the ladies are sincere in their pursuit with their love or are just out for his cash.

As with every good fairy tale there is a bad guy, in this case Tartaglia, a Prime Minister who wants his daughter Clarice, played by Kristine Goto, to marry the prince. But alas, Clarice loves Leandro. Leandro's sister, Angela, is the love interest of Tartaglia's eye, but is in love with Deramo. There is also a love triangle to complicate matters.

"The King Stag" also has another essential fairy tale element, the enchanted forest, where Tartaglia works his evil on the King. Deramo has the ability to put himself into the body of any other creature, and Tartaglia tricks Deramo, learning his spell, and puts himself into the King's body in order to win the heart of Angela. But don't fret. Love conquers all. And like in any good fairy tale, they will live happily ever after.

"The King Stag" will be performed by the Harvard-based American Repertory Theater. ART has been dedicated to progressive productions of forgotten past works and those of the old master too. Julie Taymore, who also did costuming for "The Lion King," designs the production's costumes. In this production the actors wear large masks, which obscure much of the actors' faces. Goto said of the masks, "initially they are challenging, because actors are accustomed to using their faces. They obscure what you use, having something over the face other skills are required." The actors have to incorporate more of their body and voice than they normally would without the masks. Lively voices and body movements will be used to pick up where the actor's faces are left out. Goto says, "The show is so full of joy and is easy to fall in love with."