Much ado

They called it Lakespeare and it was free Shakespeare in Glebe Park. Borrowed from NYC. Not quite the first Shakepeare in the open in Canberra but nice to see it return. This was Much ado about nothing, Shakespeare's comedy of a two couples leading to weddings, playful in intent if often ill influenced by intrigues. Red the plot. His comedies can be reasonably intricate with characters and out-of-time enough for us to chuckle at sexual and social mores (the women in front of us gave out a few belly laughs). But it works out in the end, the pairs of lovers pairing, the intriguers vanquished by the most unlikely of plods. It's out of time with Shakespeare's language that's also dated, but I find it works when it's spoken (harder to read). I felt it was particularly well-staged for the circumstances, all performers mic-ed through a PA, so we heard the lot clearly, and entrances through the audience and even some action, where characters hide an overhear thing, huddled amongst the audience. There was slapstick and family parties and lively repartee and it worked. This was going on 2.5 hours but the audience of 1,000 stayed and laughed throughout. The lighting was limited and the scenery non-existent, but the intent and comedy and action were there and effective and the words easy to follow. So thin was a sinner. I can only look forward to more of it. Lakespeare presented Much ado about nothing in Glebe Park featuring Lexi Sekuless (Beatrice) and Duncan Driver (Benedick).

Doing Tudor times

Shakespeare is the great playwright and symbol of England and the English language, so a visit to the Globe to see one of his plays performed in recreated Tudor style was an exciting prospect. I only got the idea a few days before. Seating is limited and was sold out, but there were tickets available for groundlings (standing room in the pit) for Henry IV Part 1 on a day I could manage, and to top it off, the price was a miserly GBP5. I couldn't resist, especially given that I'd performed in this very play at school (not a big part: 10 lines in 4 characters). I was a little reticent about the thought of a 3-hour standing session, but in the end, it was the rain that was the issue on the night. Yeah, it had settled in by then. But I bought a plastic poncho (available at the theatre for just such occasions) and joined the social throng. It was great. I started undercover at the edge of the pit, but the sight lines were poor and I was struggling to follow the script, so I moved to the front of the stage, in then open rain, and this was much better. I could hear the voices and was increasingly habituated to the language, so the second half was much better for me. It was a great presentation with good cheer and social interaction, as you'd expect when people share such a trial. My toes froze but the experience was memorable. The Globe performs with floodlights to simulate day time performances in Tudor times, although the planes flying overhead were incongruous. The actors were mostly covered, but sometimes in the rain along with the groundlings. The story is of Prince Hal (to be Henry V) who starts as a wastrel, a flibbertigibbet and good mate to the full-bodied and witty Falstaff. By the end of the play he's showing his seriousness in battle to the satisfaction of his father, Henry IV. But the presentation was great and involving and both fun and intimate, unaffected and uneffected. The music was real trumpets and trombones and drums performed by the players. There was singing between acts, no lighting, no audio. And to end, an amusing curtain call when the whole crew dance disco-like to music. This was unexpected, but fitted wonderfully. Everyone left in good cheer, if drenched. It was a worthy outing for the cleverness of Shakespeare who mixes wit and seriousness in this play with astounding ease, and the historical visit to another time and another pace of life. There are no pics during the performance, but I did get one of the cast at the curtain call. The Globe is a gem for a London visitor, and cheap as chips*. Be a groundling when next in London.

*Cheap as chips is a particularly apt reference here. Shakespeare's script has several references to Cheapside and chips are on the plate of every tourist in this town.