Last Friday night, Mr. Random, my friend J, and I went to see Love’s Labors Lost at the Carter Barron Amphitheater in Northwest DC. The play is this year’s Shakespeare Theater’s “Free for All” performance.
It is a re-performance of the play they did last year on the main stage, where the twist was that this was set in 1960’s India, with the King of Navarre being an enlightenment guru and the “noblemen” are staged as a rock band coming to study at the feet of the master – kind of like the Beatles did.
It is a very fun and accessible play that made good use of the new setting. Instead of the noblemen dryly reading the sonnets they had written to each of their fair ladies, they sang the words while playing whatever instrument they play in the band. (Those actors could really sing and play too – especially the drummer!) The part of Costard was played as a burned out hippie guy, which lent a lot of comic relief to many of the scenes – especially one scene where the main characters were talking (and it was a boring exchange), in the background you could see the Costard character quietly and slowly taking out a baggie and carefully and slowly rolling a joint on stage . . .
The amphitheater is in Rock Creek Park, in an area I never even knew existed before – it’s like you aren’t even in the city, everything was so lush and green. It was a beautiful evening for a play outside – not too hot or humid with clear, starry skies. There were lots of families there and several middle school groups came as a class trip. For an introduction to Shakespeare, this play was an excellent choice, since it had music and frames a reference that most kids and parents could relate to. Although there was one part of the play where the guys were supposed to be disguised as Muscovites – so in the version, they were in space suits with “CCCP” across the front and carried the flag of the USSR. Several little kids around us asked what that stuff meant. I began to feel really, really old . . .
Another notable event: I received my first mosquito bite of the season! I forgot it was getting to be that time of year and while I sensibly wore a sweater and capris, I forgot to spray insect repellent around my ankles . . .
The “Season of Shakespeare” will continue in a couple of weeks when we go see The Tempest at the Folger Shakespeare Theater. The Folger is set up similarly to the old Globe Theater, so I can’t wait to see it. Have to start reading the play very soon, so I will know what’s going on . . .
This weekend will be low key, since next week is going to be brutal. It’s conference time, which means I will be working from 7 in the morning through 9 or 10 at night for four days straight – ugh! I get weary just thinking about it . . .
Any good plans for the upcoming weekend?
It is a re-performance of the play they did last year on the main stage, where the twist was that this was set in 1960’s India, with the King of Navarre being an enlightenment guru and the “noblemen” are staged as a rock band coming to study at the feet of the master – kind of like the Beatles did.
It is a very fun and accessible play that made good use of the new setting. Instead of the noblemen dryly reading the sonnets they had written to each of their fair ladies, they sang the words while playing whatever instrument they play in the band. (Those actors could really sing and play too – especially the drummer!) The part of Costard was played as a burned out hippie guy, which lent a lot of comic relief to many of the scenes – especially one scene where the main characters were talking (and it was a boring exchange), in the background you could see the Costard character quietly and slowly taking out a baggie and carefully and slowly rolling a joint on stage . . .
The amphitheater is in Rock Creek Park, in an area I never even knew existed before – it’s like you aren’t even in the city, everything was so lush and green. It was a beautiful evening for a play outside – not too hot or humid with clear, starry skies. There were lots of families there and several middle school groups came as a class trip. For an introduction to Shakespeare, this play was an excellent choice, since it had music and frames a reference that most kids and parents could relate to. Although there was one part of the play where the guys were supposed to be disguised as Muscovites – so in the version, they were in space suits with “CCCP” across the front and carried the flag of the USSR. Several little kids around us asked what that stuff meant. I began to feel really, really old . . .
Another notable event: I received my first mosquito bite of the season! I forgot it was getting to be that time of year and while I sensibly wore a sweater and capris, I forgot to spray insect repellent around my ankles . . .
The “Season of Shakespeare” will continue in a couple of weeks when we go see The Tempest at the Folger Shakespeare Theater. The Folger is set up similarly to the old Globe Theater, so I can’t wait to see it. Have to start reading the play very soon, so I will know what’s going on . . .
This weekend will be low key, since next week is going to be brutal. It’s conference time, which means I will be working from 7 in the morning through 9 or 10 at night for four days straight – ugh! I get weary just thinking about it . . .
Any good plans for the upcoming weekend?
2 comments:
The same as last weekend: hanging out with friends and working. Not that there's anything wrong with it. Hopefully if it doesn't rain, I'll play some basketball on Sunday.
Hope that it didn't rain for you - it certainly rained here! :-)
Post a Comment