I'll admit that before going to this play I had some some misgivings. It was A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, one of the classics. I tried to imagine what it be like with no setting, no formal stage, but hey it was free. When I arrived I saw just a handful of people and some of them dressed in half modern half Shakespearean clothing. For a few minutes I thought maybe some of my misgivings might come true. The performance got under way and began with a lone narrator introducing the cast and the normal guidelines for their performances. He announced that much of the performance would be interactive. I wondered how that would be possible with an old school play by Shakespeare. I was proven to be wrong. The fact that the performance was outside, with no stage, allowed them to be among us while performing. There was even a point where one the characters started throwing chunks of grass out at the audience during one her key scenes. This was theater at its bare bones and I loved it. Pure acting. Surrounded by nature with no distractions. I felt a connection with the performers and because they were enabled to interact with us I felt their love for acting. These were dedicated performers. They spent their some of their nights a week performing for free in front of those who appreciate their art. The thing that impressed me the most however was that they prayed before each performance. It showed me that drama can be and should be a spiritual experience along with any other art form.
I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so cool. I would have had the same misgivings. For me a lot of the performance value has to do with the set and the sound and the lights and whole atmosphere. But it sounds as though the atmosphere of this play still had that same dramatic feeling, just different than a classic auditorium. I think I'll have to try and see a Shakespeare in the park play someday.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know you enjoyed it -- but what performance? Where? What city? Why did you bother going to see it to begin with?
ReplyDeletePhilip, I loved your response. I think you should post it on their facebook page - I think they would love to read it. I understand your initial misgivings, but everything you described is one of my favorite things about this company.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kirsten. Also, nice connection to spirituality.
ReplyDeleteThe photo you included reminded me of an exercise we did as library employees. Through the HBLL website, you can access the Associated Press images archive. I did a search for each of the major characters (Titania, Oberon, Puck, Helena, &c.). It was so fun to see how costumes had changed over the decades: I think costume really informs our experience with drama!
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