By Carol Davis
SAN DIEGO— The rivalry between Da Vinci and Michelangelo was a big deal back in 1504, Florence. Imagine pitting these two art giants of the Renaissance, one against another in a painting duel? Michelangelo was an up and comer and Da Vinci was already a well-established inventor, musician, writer and painter of the “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper.” Often referred to as the Renaissance man he personified that period. Each man had his own style and both were considered ‘divinely inspired’.
Because of the political climate at that time, a plan for a painting duel to take place in the Palazzo Vecchiowas was hatched by a very young Niccolò Machiavelli (Sean Lyons) who served as Chancellor to the head of state Soderini (David Shelby), to stir public interest in Florence and to pump up public pride among its artists and politicians for the purpose of manipulating the Council to mount an army to defend itself against the return of the de Medici’s. (“Machiavelli: “Nothing captivates people like a bold idea”).
The political intrigue that was going on between the Vatican, the de Medici family and the citizens of the Florence republic, forced Machiavelli to move post haste to convince Da Vinci to paint a sixty foot by twenty foot high mural of a military victory on the west wall of the Great Hall. Da Vinci wasn’t receptive with the idea at first, but money talks and Da Vinci buys the idea. When Michelangelo learns of the commission, he pouts and eventually the young ‘Prince’ comes up with the idea of both artists painting the same topic, side by side in the great hall.
Since a natural enmity between the two great egos is already in place, especially when Michelangelo’s statue of David was installed outside Florence’s Palazzo Della Signoria to not so positive ‘reviews’ and Da Vinci was more than willing to offer, unsolicited, advice as to what was wrong with it, there was no love lost between the two. In fact, throughout the entire play, caustic barbs fly in both directions.
A dueling artists fest as played out in Michael Kramer’s Divine Rivalry takes on huge proportions as it promises to take us back to a time when these things were reported to have happened, and they did, but little evidence is still around for us to see the finished product.
Kramer is an award-winning journalist and political columnist for New York Magazine (1970-1980), Time and U.S. News and World Report as well as managing editor of the New York Daily News. Playwright D.S. Moynihan adds the drama (what little there is of it) in bringing this contest to us.
Everything about the Old Globe’s west coast premiere production of Divine Rivalry under the steady direction of Michael Wilson has the look and feel of BIG. The set, designed by Jeff Cowie is massive showing large salon/office like rooms that can be interchanged into studios or ‘the great hall’ or meeting places. Richly carved golden etched tables mark the meeting places while detailed remnants of an artist’s workshop are wheeled out showing the contrast in working areas between the two artists.
The detailed graphics projected on to the stage showing the geographical landscape of Florence in 1504 is shown on a huge map taking up the entire area of the stage and gives the sensation of being in a wide screen movie theatre. Also projected at various times are Leonardo da Vinci’s (Miles Anderson) rendering of horses and the muscle structure of the human body. And finally the remaining drafts of the two murals created by the artists are seen. (Peter Nigrini)
John Gromada’s original music and sound design is loud and overbearing, and David C. Woolard’s costumes range from beautiful flowing velvet robes worn by both da Vinci and Soderini, (David Shelby) to Michelangelo’s peasant like costumes. These are in sharp contrast to those leather breeches and colorful tunics worn by a young Niccolò Machiavelli (Sean Lyons).
The story inspired by a real event, doesn’t live up to its potential. It is lacking in any more substance than ‘there was a rivalry’ and the two were asked to depict a war mural to be illustrated side by side. Da Vinci was to paint The Battle of Anghiari at the Council Hall in Florence and Michelangelo a scene from the Battle of Cascina in the same hall.
Attempts to show the two together painting at their specific walls takes place but in snippets and seldom side by side. Very little dramatic tension aside from the rivalry therefore is created. More than anything however, the plot never really does thicken beyond the two competing paintings.
Yes, the banter and repartee between the two is clever and witty; we did learn a bit about the fact that Michelangelo was frustrated that he couldn’t paint horses, and that Da Vinci didn’t like painting frescos. I was entertained by Miles Anderson’s flamboyant Da Vinci and his wonderful inventions, especially his flying wings but somewhat annoyed at Euan Morton’s winey, high-pitched almost shouting Michelangelo.
With a very long first act hell bent on giving us a history lesson, there is not room left for character development so that we really don’t care about these four men. When all is said and done, “Rivalry” becomes a one-note story, almost devoid of any real gut level emotional tug or real conflict to hold our interest past the fact that two artists see life through different lenses and the two politicians are only interested in covering their own behinds.
Kramer and Moynihan are to be commended for bringing this new work to the fore and filling in a missing link to the historical rivalry between the two Renaissance greats, but there has to be more to this play than the fact that they were rivals.
This reviewer left the theatre feeling less than inspired and even less satisfied with the entire exercise.
See you at the theatre.
Dates: through Aug 5th
Organization: Old Globe Theatre
Phone: 619-234-5623
Production Type: Drama
Where: 13630Old Globe Way, Balboa Park
Ticket Prices: starting @ $29.00
Web: theoldglobe.org
Venue: Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage
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Davis is a San Diego-based theatre critic. She may be contacted at carol.davis@sdjewishworld.com