Theater Mirror REVIEW: Revels Goes Medieval in Swanson’s Swan Song with ‘Feast of Fools’

By Michael Hoban. Updated December 20, 2023

Midwinter Revels: The Feast of Fools: A Medieval Celebration of the Solstice – Written and Directed by Patrick Swanson and Debra Wise.; Musical Direction by Elijah Botkin; Choreography by Susan Dibble; Set Design by Jeremy Barnett; Sound Design by Bill Winn; Lighting Design by Jeff Adelberg; Costume Design by Heidi A. Hermiller; Presented by Revels, Inc. at The Sanders Theater at Harvard University, 45 Quincy Street, Cambridge, through December 28th.

Retiring Revels Artistic Director Paddy Swanson is ending his career on a decidedly high note, delivering on his promise to the Globe’s Terry Byrne to “return to our roots, with brass instruments with their big sound, big carols, and processions.” The result is the highly entertaining Midwinter Revels: The Feast of Fools – and it’s quite possibly the best Revels in years. This year’s edition (the 53^rd, 34^th with Swanson at the helm) is also marinaded in comedy, bolstered by a trio of talented fools, Folly (René Collins), Fiasco (Eliza Rose Fichter), and Flop (Roger Reed), who serve their king (a regal and affably commanding Vincent Ernest Siders) with irreverent devotion.

In their opening bit, the fools have been sent in advance by the king to a village where he will appear for his annual Christmas visit. As they clean the floor of a great hall, in a hilarious cross between a Three Stooges/Charlie Chaplin routine, their incompetent antics somehow land them in the stocks in the Town Square. When the King arrives, because it’s the Feast of the Fools, they are released and now in charge, as per custom. The king surrenders his crown, which leaves him powerless against the forces of the underworld, and Death (the lithe Laurel Swift) steals the ceremonial light and returns to its world, setting the Fools off on an adventure to reclaim it and make things right again.

The narrative, while clever and thoroughly enjoyable, primarily serves to provide a framework for the trademark comedy, music. community singalongs, and dance for which Revels is known. The show opens (as always) with charismatic baritone David Coffin taking the audience through the paces to learn their singalong parts of the evening’s program, including the traditional French carols, “Sing Thee Noel,” “Noel Nouvelet, “Veni, Veni, Emmanuel,” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas” as well as staples like “Dona Nobis Pacem” and the chorus of “The Lord of the Dance” – the 1963 English hymn written by Sydney Carter. That song closes out the first act, where the entire cast leaves the stage and joins hands with the audience in a serpentine dance that leads to the spacious lobby of the historic Sanders Theater for intermission. The singalongs are also accompanied by the entirety of the Solstice Chorus and sound heavenly in the acoustically perfect Sanders Theater.

The musical selections for the program are outstanding this year, with the Revels Brass Ensemble providing instrumental support and the beautiful tango number (arranged by Elijah Botkin for brass) “Verano Porteno.” Guest vocalist Barbara Allen Hill amazes with the angelic “Gabriel’s Message” and “Stella Splendeds.” The adorable Evergreen Children get into the act, too, beginning with the atmospheric “Leeds Waits Wassail” and contributing some playful songs like “There Was a Pig Went Out to Dig” and “Old Roger is Dead.”  There are also the Revels staples included in every show, the “Abbots Bromley Horn Dance” – a mystical ritual performed by stags in the woods; the Pinewoods Morris Men stick dance; and the Susan Cooper poem “The Shortest Day.”

The annual Mummers play is a hit, too, with a take on George and the Dragon featuring two dragons facing off in a cooking competition. A massive shout out also to costume designer Heidi A. Hermiller, not only for her authentic period costumes for the entire cast but for her awesome Red Dragon, new to this year’s show.

If you’ve never been to Revels, this is the year to go, as it truly represents what this Boston/Cambridge tradition is all about. If you’re a regular and haven’t been recently, it’s a great reminder of how terrific these shows can be and a marvelous way to send off Paddy Swanson for his decades of extraordinary work. For tickets and information, go to: https://revels.org/event/midwinter/

Read this interview on Theater Mirror here