As removed as it can be from city sprawl while still being in Manhattan, the idyllic riverside setting and rolling lawns of Inwood Park seem incongruous scenery for the violent slave uprisings and extravagant Roman warfare that constitute the popular notion of Spartacus as shaped by Howard Fast's novel and the Stanley Kubrick film.
But, just like its tranquil surroundings, the Moose Hall Theatre Company's production, part of the Inwood Shakespeare Festival, is a world away from the drama and despair of Kubrick. Writer Ted Minos, who also serves as the director and producer, transforms the typically somber tale into a lighthearted one, similar in feel to the Shakespearian comedies that the festival typically produces — albeit with less-eloquent prose. All the tropes are there: star-crossed love, prankster servants, and an abundance of wordplay. Even Spartacus' major battles are peppered with witty banter. The Roman legions are no longer a threatening opposing force but absurd in their foolishness; while marching, the soldiers undermine their grave cause by singing a ridiculous paean to their dimwitted leader.
This farcical ludicrousness, however amusing, provides little in the way of dramatic tension; the identities of the heroes and villains are extremely clear-cut, and the result of the concluding battle is drearily predictable. It is tedious when Spartacus attempts to communicate the seriousness of its content with dull and unconvincing monologues on the nature of duty and the clichéd importance of teamwork.
Luckily, far more prevalent are entertaining if gratuitous displays of hedonistic Roman amusement; patricians bask in luxury and sardonically comment on the day's affairs while watching their famed gladiatorial competitions. Spartacus allows us to join their self-indulgent pursuits: Grab a blanket, pack a picnic, and watch something that makes you laugh without making you think.
Presented by Moose Hall Theatre Company as part of the Inwood Shakespeare Festival
at Inwood Hill Park Peninsula (enter at 218th Street and Indian Road or Isham Street and Seaman Avenue), NYC.
July 18-Aug. 4. Wed.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are free, no reservations required.