CYRANO de BERGERAC

Love, Honor, Self-Sacrifice

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented by: Richmond Shakespeare

Performances: May 29 – June 8, 2025

At: Agecroft Hall, 4305 Sulgrave Rd., RVA 23221

Ticket Prices: $22-$47 [Adults $47; Seniors 65+ with ID $42; Military with ID $; 32; College Students with ID $27 & Children 18 and under $22] Seating is General Admission.

Info: (804) 340-0115 or http://www.richmondshakespeare.org

Well, it’s springtime in Richmond and time for the 26^th Annual Richmond Shakespeare Festival at Agecroft Hall. In his program notes, director Andrew Gall writes that the first play he saw, at the age of ten, was Cyrano de Bergerac. Now, decades later, he has the pleasure of directing this work, one that he feels is still “alive, urgent, and immediate” the Richmond Shakespeare Festival. I think the opening night audience was as delighted as Gall at this happy circumstance. Most of us are probably at least somewhat familiar with the character or the story of Cyrano de Bergerac, even if we have not seen it on stage or on film.

To fight, or to write…

Who has not heard of the gallant poet with the large nose? His love for the beautiful and intelligent Roxanne, or his self-less sacrifice of his own feelings to ensure that she gets to marry Christian, the handsome young cadet she loves – unaware that the beautiful love letters she has been receiving were really written by her cousin Cyrano.

One hundred men against one…

So, sitting in the courtyard of Agecroft Hall on a cool spring night, I had the pleasure of experiencing the perfect pleasure of romance, gallantry, dueling, and poetry. Written by French playwright Edmond Rostand in 1897 and loosely based on the life of a 17^th century novelist and playwright of the same name, Cyrano de Bergerac is fittingly written in rhyming couplets. And there are so many lines! (Act One alone runs, if I’m not mistaken, more than an hour and a half.)

Do you remember the night when Christian courted you under the balcony?

I was below, hidden among the shadows while he climbed up to claim the kiss of triumph.

This production boasts a great cast, led by James Murphy in the lead role. Murphy gallantly charges into battle, armed with words and a sword (oooh, did you notice the anagram, there). I adored his “No, thank you” speech and his final scene made my eyes leak.

A nose that arrives a quarter of an hour before its master…

Another favorite was Cole Metz in the role of Rageneau, a poetry-loving pastry chef who assumes many roles, often in service to his friend Cyrano. Blissfully unaware that he is being cuckolded, Rageneau is kind, generous, and has a seemingly never empty cupboard, even showing up unannounced on the battlefield with life-saving sustenance for the troops – and Roxanne, in disguise.

I have loved but once – one man – and I must lose him twice.

Kaitlin Paige Longoria (who is also the Artistic Director of 5^th Wall Theatre) was well-cast as Roxanne, the not only beautiful but surprisingly independent love interest of not only Cyrano and Christian, but of the lecherous DeGuiche as well. Roxanne’s confidence is part of the reason this play still seems relevant.

Special mention is due to Foster Solomon who was called on with about two-days’ notice to take on the villainous role of DeGuiche. On opening night Solomon was still using notes, but I expect this to be short-lived. At any rate, this did nothing to slow down or detract from the non-stop fun of the opening night performance.

Erich Appleby, most recently seen on local stages in Water By the Spoonful (https://jdldancesrva.com/2024/11/10/water-by-the-spoonful/) and Sanctuary City (https://jdldancesrva.com/2025/03/09/sanctuary-city/) played the role of the handsome, if somewhat slow, Christian while John Cauthen and Joel White held down important supporting roles as Cyrano’s discerning and loyal friend LeBret and Christian’s heavy-drinking friend Ligniére, respectively.

Claire Wittman, no stranger to Richmond Shakespeare productions, played multiple supporting roles as Rageneau’s unfaithful wife Lise, Roxanne’s Duenna, and Sister Margaret in the convent where Roxanne spends the years after the death of beloved.

Cyrano de Bergerac is a fast-paced, adventurous, romantic, intellectual play. There’s something for everyone.

And maybe, just maybe, one of the reasons we still love Cyrano de Bergerac is because we long for more of the patience, perseverance, and principles displayed by both Cyrano and Roxanne. In the end, love wins.

That was you…you always loved me!…

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Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County. When not writing about theater, she teaches dance history at VCU and low impact dance fitness classes to seasoned movers like herself and occasionally gets to perform.

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CYRANO de BERGERAC

Written by Edmond Rostand, Adapted by Andrew Gall

Directed by Andrew Gall

CAST

Cyrano de Bergerac           ….. James Murphy

Roxanne                                ….. Kaitlin Paige Longoria

Christian                                ….. Erich  Appleby

DeGuiche                              ….. Foster Solomon

Raganeau                              ….. Cole Metz

LeBret                                    ….. John Cauthen

Lise/Duenna/Sister Margaret ….. Claire Wittman

Ligniére                                 ….. Joel White

Montefleury                          ….. Elliot Duffy

Carbon Castel-Jaloux        ….. Neal Gallini-Burdick

Valvert                                   ….. Travis Williams

Ensemble                              ….. Thomas Kaupish

Ensemble                              ….. Jack Harris

Ensemble                              ….. Ayden Phouthakhanty

Ensemble                              ….. Sydney Wright

PRODUCTION TEAM

Artistic Director       ……………    James Ricks

Managing Director ……………    Jase Smith Sullivan

Director                     ……………    Andrew Gall

Production Manager ……………  Nata Moriconi

Production Stage Manager ……..MariaElisa Costa

Assistant Stage Manager ………..Kai Eley

Assistant Stage Manager/Props Design ….. Jordan Dively

Costume Design      ……………    Maggie Ronck

Lighting Design       ……………    Trisan Ketcham

Fight/Intimacy Director ……….    Aaron Orenski

Set Builder                ……………    Sonny Flemming

Run Time: About 3 hours; there is one intermission

Photo Credits: Richmond Shakespeare Facebook page