King John, not often performed, this history is about war between two countries, England and France, over the rightful heir to the throne.
Richard I has died leaving his young brother John, to take the throne. Richard also had an older brother, Geoffrey, who had a son, Arthur, whom the French feel is the rightful heir. There is also the love story of Lady Blanche which has much political significance. And the Pope weighs in here as well. Like much of Shakespeare, there is a lot going on here.
American Performing Arts International, Utah-based, has brought a huge cast and a minimal production of a very big show. The direction in this space with this many actors has been capably handled and executed. They manage the battle scenes with more than moderate success. They are a troupe of varying degrees of talent and ability but with massive amounts of dedication and energy. It's fast-paced and fluid.
Although a winding and sometimes muddled story, we get a very clear picture of Shakespeare’s King John.