Stage Light

It’s one thing for a theater company devoted to Shakespeare to deliver pleasant versions of “Much Ado About Nothing” or well-acted versions of “Twelfth Night.” It’s another for that company to actually sell us on a vexing, deeply flawed piece of Shakespeare like “Two Gentlemen of Verona.”

In its fairly young life, the Excalibur Theatre Company’s version of “Two Gentlemen”--which originated at the Nevada Shakespeare Festival, Excalibur’s summer residency--surely ranks as its best work, the mark of an ensemble coming into its own. Not only does director Rajan Dosaj’s staging never blink at Verona gentleman Proteus’ (Gary B. Lamb) incongruous betrayal of his best pal, Valentine (Carl J. Pfeifer), but it deftly balances the play’s uneasy swings between high and low comedy.

The result is not unlike a show that has worked out the kinks in Boston or New Haven before hitting New York: The actors have thoroughly inhabited their roles and keep the beat of every scene like a well-practiced team. They’re able to, because they’ve enjoyed what Los Angeles casts rarely can--time, from their Nevada summer until now, to do the work.

Ferocious swashbuckling begins and ends the show, and even though this is a comedy, we’re reminded that a skilled rapier can down a man--or a woman--if anger boils over. Pfeifer and Lamb play with a Dumas-like relish, and Lamb especially pulls off the most difficult scene when Proteus swoons for Valentine’s beloved Sylvia (a glowing Jane Longenecker) and insanely decides to steal her away.

The range of comic types in “Two Gentlemen” is pretty extraordinary, and fully exploited by John Serembe’s cloddish Launce, Jeffrey Whitman’s witty Speed and a wildly foppish Thurio by Brett Elliot, who’s born to play Moliere. More subdued comedy, flecked with strong moments of rage, comes from Craig Tolliver as the Duke of Milan.

The one question-mark--besides William Reilly’s cheesy pseudo-classical music--is the overly broad, nearly hysterical depiction of scorned lover Julia by Joanne McGee. Nobody on stage tops McGee in energy and sheer verve, but her approach becomes exhaustive overkill, and it’s a relief when she has to tone her act down as she lurks about Milan in disguise. Most of Jude Lucas’ storybook set remains from the Nevada production, while we get an eyeful from Lucas’ plush, dynamically colorful costumes.

“Two Gentlemen of Verona,” Excalibur Theatre, 12655 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m. Ends Dec. 19. $10-$14. (818) 761-0312. Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes.

FO Jeffrey Whitman and Carl Pfeifer in “Two Gentlemen of Verona.”