This brief review excerpt is from The Internet Magazine Of Theater Reviews and Theater-Related Features

THE RIVALS by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Adapted and Directed by Roger Rees
With:
Tom Bloom
Kate Burton
John Ellison Conlee
Denis Holmes
Rick Holmes
Dana Ivey
Deidre Lovejoy
Mark McKinney
Michael Potts
Sandra Shipley
Jake Weber

Sets: Neil Patel
Costumes: Kaye Voyce
Lights: Frances Aronson
Sound: Kurt B. Kellenberger
Williamstown Theatre Festival

-- Adams Memorial Theatre
1000 Main Street
Williamstown, MA (413/597-3400)

...Tom Bloom is equally impressive as Sir Anthony Absolute. He bristles at the younger generation's rebellion against his need to dominate absolutely, blaming it all on teaching girls to read. And yet, though he declares that if he were to take another bride it would be one "who only knows letters and numbers to twenty", memories of a more romantic youth linger and contribute towards his being a well-rounded character and not a carricature.

Jake Weber has enough dash and charm for both Ensign Beverly and Jack Absolute to offset the fact that he does not plumb his role quite as deeply as the actors representing the older generation. Deidre Lovejoy, (how's that for a restoration style metaphoric name?) nicely lets intelligence show through the heiress Lydia Languish's girlish romanticism. The rest of the cast is too large (11 speaking parts) to say more than that all take full advantage of the memorable characters written for them. Even the minor players, such as Denis Holmes doing uproarious double duty as David and Thomas, make major contributions ...