I always knew Shakespeare in the Park would be a great experience. But I could never commit to waking up early and waiting in line all day. If you feel similarly, now is the ideal time to try your luck in the online lottery! New York is not quite as full of tourists as usual, so your chances of winning are likely higher. And this is an excellent production to go see - a lively farce with everything one could ask for in a Shakespearean comedy. As someone unfamiliar with the original text, I found it easy to follow and highly enjoyable.
This adaptation takes place in present day Harlem in a West African community. There are the usual Shakespearean tropes of trickery, unrequited desire/love, and confused identities with the added layer of West African accents, costumes, and music. The Performers After closing for 3 days due to positive Covid tests among the cast, this production was a hodgepodge of people playing different parts than usual with 6 (!) understudies stepping up from the ensemble to fill lead roles. There was no physical program and the sign posted at the entrance was very confusing so it took some deciphering to figure out which of the actors were understudies - and that's a good thing! Even when Jarvis D. Matthews, as Mister Nduka Ford, shouted out for a line, he continued on so seamlessly that you could have missed it in a blink. The standout performances were from Susan Kelechi Watson and Pascale Armand as the merry wives. Their energy and chemistry was unmatched and so fun to watch. The Set There are a surprising amount of sets hidden within the simple street scene that appears at the play's beginning. The stagehands and actors moved these facades back and forth easily throughout. And the colorful lighting cast over the Central Park trees during the final scene of dancing spirits is breathtaking. The Story The basic framework of this classic play remains, with some modern flair added. I appreciated the gender-blind casting (and understudy casting) of the roles. In particular, the role of Fenton is played by a woman and she wins the love of Anne Page over the two male suitors (one of which turns out to be gay anyway). It is really refreshing to see this 17-century play adapted to our current world so seamlessly - and to see strong women taking action against the foolery of the men around them. |
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