Friday, March 21, 2008
Chicago off to non-traditional start
Variety: "A hip-hop version of 'Much Ado About Nothing,' a stage tuner incarnation of 'Willy Wonka,' a revival of Peter Schaffer's 'Amadeus' directed by Gary Griffin, and its first production of a Christopher Marlowe tragedy will get Chicago Shakespeare Theater's 2008-09 season off to a non-traditional start."
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3 comments:
Couldn't they have picked a weirder, lesser-known Shakespeare commedy to do this to? I guess Much Ado, being good, offers more substance, but it means that it will be even more depressing if it's bad. But I think this is interesting because it relates to two different trends we've being seeing in theatre: "retelling" or updating Shakespeare to attract a young audience, and the use of very active, physical performance, like acrobatics and estern dance, with more tradional plays.
Interesting that Chicago Shakes is doing a Bomb-itty of errors. The Rep in Saint Louis did it last fall to descent reviews, and if I were in town I would have been very interested in seeing that show. However I think that the interesting start is actually a refreshing way to see some new interpretations and spins on classical theatre being produced. Though there is nothing wrong with straight Shakespeare, why not mix it up a little and try some new stuff.
i love how this is becoming a more and more popular concept; taking old idea and spinning them or modernizing them. artistically i think it makes a pretty bold statement in and of itself. Even if it is not the intent of the production i can see the simple argument of "History Repeating Itself" being made in these production. powerful messages being put into a context that will fit our modern times.
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