“Sir John Falstaff” – 1984

Review Excerpts

“‘A MERRY OPENING FOR A TROUBLED APT’…At least two actors—Randall Duk Kim in the role of Falstaff, and Leonard Kelly-Young as Dr. Caius, the French physician—consistently turn in show-stopping performances. Their mastery of the roles and dialogue, down to single words and gestures, is so complete and convincing that their performances alone are worth the price of admission.…”
                 —Jacob Stockinger, THE CAPITAL TIMES (7/7/1984)

“‘PLAYERS GIVE BARD THE ROYAL TREATMENT’…Kim, whose life’s dream is being made reality with the classic theater on a hilltop south of Spring Green, makes the knight wonderfully fat. But he also makes him old, cantankerous, and more avaricious than lecherous.…Kim’s Falstaff works. His explosive rendition of Shakespeare’s literate oaths is a superb demonstration of theatrical bombast.…”
               —Jay Joslyn, MILWAUKEE SENTINEL (7/9/1984)

“‘‘MERRY WIVES’ A REAL CLASS ACT’…Commanding applause mixed with laughter, the portly figure of Falstaff emerges as double and more the size of Randall Duk Kim, the actor portraying him. While theater is full of magic, it mystifies me that this short, lean actor convincingly appears in such proportions that his girth greatly exceeds his stature. Give credit to both Kim and costume designer Ted Boerner for mastering this exquisite deception. APT co-founder Kim entrances the audience as the hopeful lecher, Falstaff, an aging, boastful man, clever of tongue but thoroughly deluded in the goodly appearance of his rotund figure.…”
               —Dennis Mullins, WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL (7/9/1984)

“‘APT WEAVING SUMMER SHAKESPEARE MAGIC AGAIN’…The show stealer of the night was Falstaff who drew sounds of astonishment and laughter every time he came on the stage. Played by Randall Duk Kim, Falstaff was a witty and outrageous display of how one man can get himself into so much trouble. Dressed in knee high boots with ringing spurs, Falstaff’s presence could note be ignored due to his size. As Pistol put it ‘two yards and more.’…”
               —Shelly Trachte, REEDSBURG TIMES-PRESS (7/19/1984)

“‘THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR’…The most prominent performer is Randall Duk Kim as Sir John Falstaff, the rotund, wine-swilling knight whose double-dealing in love sets the comic sanction in motion. Kim is superb as Falstaff the clown, giving the character a rolling walk, booming voice and lecherous sneer. And his performance of the physical humor—hiding behind a tapestry, jumping into a basket and running away from a jealous husband—attests to his agility.…”
               —Merope Pavlides, ISTHMUS (7/20/1984)

“‘‘MERRY WIVES’ TERRIFIC AT SPRING GREEN, WIS.’…There are not enough superlatives to cover the energy, knowledge and interpretation that Kim brings to Shakespeare. Randall has turned the finding of the ‘perfect Shakespeare’ into a lifetime, all-encompassing quest.…Kim is totally believable and magnificent as the bawdy, lusty, ponderous Falstaff—one of Shakespeare’s best-known and clearly drawn characters. In sprite of being the constant target of deception, humiliation and abuse, he struts his huge self around the stage, giving as well as he receives. A blood, if obese, knight, indeed.…”
               —Kaye Young, MASON CITY GLOBE-GAZETTE (7/1984)

“‘AMERICAN PLAYERS THEATRE’S ARTISTRY SETS WORRIES ASIDE’…Kim taps the lusty humor in the spectacle of a conceited old man who fancies himself irresistible to young women, but there is tragedy, too, when his Falstaff realizes the other characters have played him for a fool.…”
               —Howard Reich, CHICAGO TRIBUNE (9/27/1984)