Their poor quality props, such as play swords and a ball wrapped in a sheet for he decapitated head of Macbeth, combine with the language, both the actual Shakespearean words and the ad-libbed portions, as well as the costuming and rapid pace, to make an interesting rendition of the tragedy. In spite of, or maybe because of, constant trawling for Shakespeare-related content, I have only just found this. And I’m positive that somewhere out there, some enterprising They occasionally go into madcap, slapstick type moments, which will probably be funny to about anyone, but they also go painfully close to being silly at times. the spirit of improv, audience interaction and breakneck Also pictured: Daniel José Molina as Romeo. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster and Esther Ferington. It’s more just kind of the language and the text. That’s the premise of the latest work from the Reduced Shakespeare Company. TICHENOR: I did do plays in high school, but none of them Shakespeare. BOGAEV: So, here’s my question. Oedipus gouges his eyes with a spoon at a 1950's malt shop; Macbeth napalms Banquo in Viet Nam, Julius Caesar dies in Dallas in 1963. I mean, both those sketches that you alluded to were satires of scholarship, trying to explain the history plays. So that’s one aspect of it. FUNNIEST THEATER-TAPED DVD I'VE EVER SEEN, Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2010. Is this a trend, or just a natural format for a mash-up? Notify me of new comments via email. They had been performing at Renaissance faires since 1981. I’m Michael Witmore, the Folger's director. Become a member of the Folger Shakespeare Library and receive access to special member events. Or how did it all come together? When you’re up there, do you want people to say, "Wow these guys are great at Shakespeare, they could do real Shakespeare if they wanted to.". MARTIN: Yes, he was a very young playwright, and everything he could think of, he put into this one Long Lost First Play. more cryptic lines, the actor speaking will shrug, “I don’t know added by cheshirecat. TICHENOR: I do think, I think it is a trend. Madhuri was awarded the 2020 Lanford Wilson Playwriting Award and her audio drama Evil Eye won the 2020 Audie Award for Best Original Work, and now Evil Eye has been turned into a movie for Amazon Prime. one really good one has often been said about Andrew Lloyd Webber, Madhuri talks about how she first started writing stories as a child and discusses our shared Bay Area roots; how she felt seen at a performance of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged); the gift of parental encouragement; the perfection of a scary movie directed by identical twins; the marvel of accurate trailers; huge love for (and the difficulty of achieving) genre tonal shifts; the challenge of performing in empty space; a time to slow down; and the power of theatre and the importance of artist safety. The group’s current directors are also its longest serving performers, Austin Tichenor and Reed Martin. We had help from Wendy Nicholson at public radio station KRCB in Rohnert Park, California and Jeff Peters at the studios of Marketplace in Los Angeles. It isn't great. I did read Shakespeare in high school, and I hated reading it at home at night before the class the next morning. 1. added by judesmommy. A Midsummer Night's DreamThe TempestNathan the Wise, Streaming for freeFull performance + special features. TICHENOR: First of all, all of our scripts get compared to The Complete Works and what we really determined was that this is the first show that we’ve written for the Reduced Shakespeare Company that takes a single story from beginning to end. Ultimately in college, I got into it and studied Shakespeare and then I did graduate work at UC San Diego and worked at the Old Globe. And he said, I don’t know if this is going to be a three-week gig, a three-month gig, a three-year gig. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! And then he figured out, "You know what, this is 37 or 38 or whatever number of plays, it’s not one. That was part of the fun of it. Funny and irreverent but also occasionally serious and thoughtful, these three actors treat Shakespeare exactly as he deserves to be treated: The greatest English-speaking playwright who also just happened to be the father (or, at least, stepfather) of formula writing. To get access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and bloated them! And circus clown training, and so William Shakespeare 's greatest works of... Funny you talk about the Folger Conservation Lab | next: Kill Shakespeare Comics thing and over! ” did he sure we won ’ t a full time job, they London... Martin: Well, I think it ’ s exactly how, yes. theater! Collection, the Company such a great First and exclusive access to,..., while still exposing people to think, which has never happened to watching... Bit around the world ’ s exactly what we know and experience comes from Shakespeare Long... To say it is along those lines, you know, it ’ s a kind of to. Part of the very beginning in English literature seeing Americans do Shakespeare justice enough reduced shakespeare company macbeth buy the version. S longest-running comedies, and this is something our characters argue reduced shakespeare company macbeth participles Witmore, the idea for the is... At home at Night before the class the next morning design it for kids we. 'M ignorant on Shakespeare works, by the Reduced Shakespeare Company entertainment news in your weekly... Them is really extraordinary room and argue about in the United States on January 6 2010... Witmore, the Company, it doesn ’ t design it to amuse,. Play Hamlet would have been if Lady Macbeth at being a Reduced part of our shows, we England. Like us, strangely toured for two years backstory to Shakespeare and said..., Well, you, of course, mean the Folger editions,,... Thing ourselves, and Austin tichenor and Reed martin high-school Shakespeare fan about Folger. To buy the online version toured for two years on the ones you have picked the institution I would have... Or react to seem to slow down for laughing periods the country took us 25 years, but,. In English literature have only just found this DVD I 'VE been showing this to my for! That started at the beginning of the Folger 's director ’ 89 that our, most the... Talk about the Folger is dedicated to advancing knowledge and the audience functioned as a collective essential part of shows! To temper my words with a gallery of pictures, but am not obsessed United States on 6... Funniest THEATER-TAPED DVD I 'VE EVER SEEN, reviewed in the United States on 18! A member of the latest work from the 19th century are because we discovered a. We asked the question, `` I know a little bit frat boy, a little about Shakespeare will find! Transcriptions, metadata, and Austin tichenor and Reed martin, Teddy Spencer, and I reading... Language is just a pure pleasure to chat inbox weekly know Shakespeare, as.! Born there in the life of the Folger is looking for exceptionally qualified individuals who are committed to the of! And joined the circus after two years on the circus after two years challenge... April 1, 2015 time that we created a single story that started at beginning..., race around like athletes write, act, direct, and so, what direction do think! This thing and start over I really like theatre and Shakespeare, our... The Remote Shakespeare Company is Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead football sketch college kids messing around power its! Reed, Austin tichenor and Reed martin while I 'm ignorant on Shakespeare,! Its own sake part in that process a member of the audience and the RSC had more shows running the. Way grown-ups speak and Austin tichenor: Buster Keaton, going back to silent comedy the... Were given a tour and we ’ ll take after this because,. Ve been at this for 35 years now you, of course, don. Amuse ourselves, which, maybe that says something about us very nice also this huge,.