A sweet treat for the eyes

By Don Shirley

July 7, 2003 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

The man definitely is from Mars. The woman is not merely from Venus -- she is Venus.

We’re talking about “Venus and Adonis,” Shakespeare’s poem, presented in a fully staged version by Shakespeare Orange County at Chapman University’s Waltmar Theatre in Orange.

Shakespeare didn’t write it to be staged. But that hasn’t stopped director Thomas F. Bradac, who presented Benjamin Stewart’s solo version of the poem twice before, including one in this same theater in 1995. In 2001, a small production in Hollywood adapted the poem to contemporary times.

The current production stays in the original’s Greco-Roman setting. From a glance at Pat Cavins’ diaphanous costumes, it looks like a toga party. But Adonis (Jeremy Gabriel) is no party animal. In fact, his idea of a good party is hunting actual animals.

The story, more or less taken from Ovid, has Venus (Katie Johnson) wooing Adonis, which he resists. He’d rather be stalking wild boar. When he gets his wish, tragedy ensues.

It’s a pretty slim tale for a two-act theatrical production. But Bradac didn’t pretend otherwise while discussing it in curtain speeches before “Venus and Adonis” and its repertory mate, “Othello.” The former, he said, is “dessert” to the “main course” of “Othello.”

Much of the appeal of this dessert is its eye candy. Essentially, most of the play consists of a beautiful young woman attempting to seduce a handsome young man.

Perhaps as an indicator of Venus’ divinity, she has helpers in her onslaught. Three young muses (Elizabeth Taheri, Misha Bouvion, Amanda Zarr) share in the narration and in the physical blandishments directed at the solitary Adonis.

A young man (Joshua A. Snyder) occasionally joins them. But in his main role, he’s called on to be the boar. Although he wears a mask that makes him look more fierce as the boar, casting the slim and short Snyder as a wild boar is casting against type. Was it intended as a joke? Apparently not, judging from the somber treatment of the boar scenes.

Johnson is the star attraction, especially in conjunction with her equally strong Desdemona in “Othello.” Here, she projects such brazen confidence in her sassy, sexy appeal that we can’t understand why Adonis continues to resist.

Gabriel meets the physical requirements of Adonis, and he gets in a few words here and there, but not nearly as many as the women. He’s the strong, silent type.

The action is extensively choreographed, with muses occasionally playing horses and Death. All the physical action, in addition to the aforementioned eye candy, means Shakespeare’s words often are superseded. They’re not badly spoken; they’re simply overwhelmed by the visual imagery.

If it’s the words that primarily interest you, read the poem.

‘Venus and Adonis’

Where: Waltmar Theatre, Chapman University, 301 E. Palm Ave., Orange

When: Wednesday and July 17-19, 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m.

Ends: July 19

Price: $24

Contact: (714) 744-7016

Running Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Katie Johnson...Venus

Jeremy Gabriel...Adonis

Elizabeth Taheri...Muse/Narration

Misha Bouvion...Muse/Horse