Since the stated goal of the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival is to ultimately stage all of Shakespeare's plays, one understands why "King John" has a slot among this summer's three selections. However, if you're looking for royal ambition, intrigue and dirty tricks, Shakespeare did them all much better in "Macbeth."

The real King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215. As a literary figure, he's the nemesis of Robin Hood and central to "The Lion In Winter" — the next generation. Although popular in Victorian England for its historical appeal and opportunities for stage spectacle, the play is seldom produced and had its last Broadway outing in 1915.

If it's possible to categorize "inferior Shakespeare," this play may be it. Above all, what's lacking in "King John" is a defined, compelling and sustainable central character. A more solid through line would also help.

In this production's title role, Todd Coolidge does excellent work but lacks a really good part. Coolidge's performance is intelligent and articulate but doesn't begin to heat up until the ruffles and flourishes of the court and battle scenes give way to his sinister plotting and mental disorientation. By then, we wonder where his character was during the first half of the play.

Director Tony Pisculli kicks things up with swordplay, costumes and sound.

Bare chests and painted faces follow the Celtic tradition, and costumer Alexis Leon puts the rough English in skins and furs and the refined French in linen and rich fabrics. Damned Spot Drums (Chris Fung and Deborah Masterson) add effective, melodramatic percussion to underscore the high drama.

While King John maneuvers to consolidate and defend his English holdings, some supporting roles are worth noting.

Rob Duval is so likable as The Bastard, John's illegitimate cousin and combination comic figure and one-man chorus, that one wishes the playwright had taken more time to develop the character. Savada Gilmore has several nice moments as Hubert, a conscience-riddled nobleman that John enlists to murder Prince Arthur.

Betty Burdick looks and sounds so much like the Wicked Witch of the West in her role of papal representative Cardinal Pandulph that one expects her to mount her walking staff like a broomstick and fly cackling up into the sky.

Brooke Jones has a short mad scene as Lady Constance and there's a nice, slow motion suicide leap from a tall tower.

All in all, this production of "King John" is a relatively painless way to earn that "I've seen 'em all" Shakespeare merit badge. But you only have until this Sunday to accumulate your points.