There really isn’t anything like live Shakespeare. At least, there isn’t for me. I try to seek out as many productions of live Shakespeare as I can, and last year, I was lucky enough to see 11 full-length productions. Overall, the average quality of the productions I saw this year was excellent, and I count myself lucky to have had the opportunity to see so many phenomenal shows. I’m here today to provide my very belated thoughts on these productions, as I gear up for another year of Shakespeare.
Macbeth, Shakespeare Theater Company—Funnily enough, I started my year of Shakespeare with the best production I would see all year. And that was STC’s production of “Macbeth,” starring Ralph Fiennes and Indira Varma. This show was perfection. Every moment of it. Macbeth is a tough part, and Fiennes absolutely nailed it. But it wasn’t just star quality carrying this production—every single actor, down to the most minor roles, played their part to perfection. The immersive design of the show just added to the intensity of the script, and my jaw was on the floor by intermission and stayed there for the rest of the night.
Macbeth, American Shakespeare Center—As part of my internship with the American Shakespeare Center, I got to see this production of “Macbeth” three times. The magic of the ASC is the fact that shows are performed in a recreation of Shakespeare’s Blackfriars Theatre. This gorgeous, intimate theater space lends itself perfectly to the high level of audience interaction that Shakespeare’s plays were designed for. While this “Macbeth” didn’t quite live up to the brilliance of the STC version, it brought its own sense of intensity and the final battle was staged to perfection.
Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare and Company—If there’s one thing Shakespeare and Company can do, it’s deliver a banger production of “The Comedy of Errors.” This vaudevillian take on the height of Shakespearean farce was fantastic, and I loved every minute. It was laugh out loud funny, full of energy and performed in a magical outdoor theater space. It also featured a wonderful “who’s on first” inspired intermission sequence which showed that it is possible to incorporate modern language into a Shakespeare production, and do it well.
The Winter’s Tale, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company—If you’re looking for low-cost, high quality Shakespeare in the Boston area, look no further than the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company. Their flagship event is free Shakespeare on the Boston Common, and I look forward to it every year. The Winter’s Tale is a tricky play to pull off in the height of summertime, but everything was made better by the presence of Brandeis’ very own Professor Robert Walsh as Antigonus. I didn’t necessarily connect with the techno rave thing in the second half, but strong performances made up for it.
Two Noble Kinsmen, CSC Apprentices—That low cost, high quality thing I was talking about? It applies to CSC’s apprentice productions as much as their mainstage show. There are usually two or three of them, and they’re always a fun watch. This was my first time seeing “Two Noble Kinsmen” live on stage. I can’t pretend I left this production wishing for “Two Noble Kinsmen” to be performed more frequently, but there were some very fun moments. This production went for a Greek Life interpretation of the play, which was interesting, although sometimes the additions of modern language to Shakespeare’s text felt a bit belabored.
Comedy of Errors, The Globe—And now we head across the pond! I took advantage of the U.K.’s close proximity to France to catch some more Shakespeare productions. The first was another “Comedy of Errors,” this time at Shakespeare’s Globe. It suffered from its concept simply being less fun than the vaudeville version I had seen less than a month earlier, but it was a fun afternoon at the theater nevertheless.
Much Ado About Nothing, The Globe—Easily my favorite show I saw at the Globe this year, this production of “Much Ado About Nothing” really had everything. An absolutely phenomenal Benedick and Beatrice, who played off each other (and the audience) perfectly. A perfect sense of joie de vivre. Orange trees everywhere! “Much Ado” is a truly great play, and this production really did it justice.
Antony and Cleopatra, The Globe—This was a very interesting concept. A deaf actress, Nadia Nadarajah, played Cleopatra, meaning all the Egyptians communicated in British Sign Language. The problem with this production lay with the design of the Globe itself, meaning it was impossible to look at both the projected subtitles and the stage at the same time. It made for a frustrating viewing experience, as it felt as though unless you’re a hearing person fluent in BSL, you won’t be able to experience the show in its entirety. There were also some pacing issues in the cut of the script, although I don’t know how much of that simply came from the fact that I missed things going back and forth from subtitles to stage. The acting was strong, and Antony and Cleopatra is such a good play that it can take a lot of punishment, but it felt like this concept needed a different venue.
As You Like It, Royal Shakespeare Company—I’m always happy to see a good production of “As You Like It.” The highlight of the RSC’s version was the way music was incorporated into the show. Nearly all the actors also played a musical instrument (some played several) and the incorporation of music into the show worked perfectly for “As You Like It.” It was a fun, outdoor Shakespeare experience and I had a great time.
Merry Wives of Windsor, Royal Shakespeare Company—It’s a close call, but this might just be the second-best production I saw all year (surpassed only by the STC Macbeth). “Merry Wives” is an underrated gem of a play as it is, and this was a particularly fantastic take on it. The modern English suburb is a perfect setting for this small-town sitcom, and I truly couldn’t stop laughing throughout the show. It was fantastic.
Pericles, Royal Shakespeare Company—“Pericles” is a weird play. This production did a fantastic job with the slightly all-over-the-place script, delivering a beautiful and haunting ensemble piece. Alfred Enoch was fantastic as the title role, and making Marina and Gower one character was an inspired choice. This also had one of the best production designs I saw all year, with a maritime-inspired set and fantastic costumes.
Coriolanus, National Theatre—My last Shakespeare play of the year, I made another trip across the channel to see one of my favorite Roman plays, Coriolanus. David Oyelowo delivered one of the best individual performances I saw all year, perfectly embodying Coriolanus’ descent. Like most National Theatre productions, this show had money and knew how to use it. All in all, it was a high-quality production to close out my year of Shakespeare.