FARANELLI and the KING Starring Mark Rylance in London

The London production of the historic/operatic drama FARANELLI and the KING stars theater royalty, Mark Rylance.  Rylance, arguably one of the world's greatest stage actors was born in England but moved to the U.S. with his family as a child.  His father was a prof. at UW-Milwaukee where Mark studied theater.  Last year, Rylance starred on B'wy in Twelfth Night which was a colossal success. Due in large part to his performance & to the authenticity of the period costumes & set including burning candles.  The actors were seen as their dressers put them into their garb, authentic musical instruments were played.  The London stage and seating area are on a much more intimate scale.  This enhanced the richness of the tight but lush set.  The center aisle was a pathway for actors to enter & exit  adding a layer of excitement and immediacy.  The playwright,  Claire Van Kampen, is Rylance's wife.  Van Kampen has taken artistic liberties with the historical reign of King Philip V of Spain (Rylance) who despite bearing the crown, was a melancholy insomniac who cared little for ruling his kingdom.  An opera prodigy, Faranelli was just gaining fame for his remarkable singing voice.  Faranelli performed for King Philip which brought the King out of his duldrums but ensnared Faranelli into a dungeon like existence and was never relinquished til the King's death.  This infatuating period piece is an operatic drama (performed by 2 alternating singers.)  They sing standing behind the actor performing the role.  FARANELLIE and the KING is theater at its most magical majesty. Plato describes the powers of music, "It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything."  This is how I left felt deparing the theater.