the triple L's of Shakespeare
Jun. 18th, 2006 12:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
orangerfulWent out with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jimithingy's mom today and saw 'Love's Labors Lost' at the Shakespeare Theater in D.C.. It was a whole lotta fun (except for the part where I got lost driving to and driving home, I have no sense of direction)! I had never seen or read LLL before so I got to test my skills at understanding the language without and knowledge of the play. I think I did pretty well.
This version of LLL had a twist - instead of setting it in the traditional shakespeare time, the director (Michael Kahn, who is THE MAN, every time he directs a play it is fabulous) decided that a story about young men seeking spirtual enlightenment and young women seeking to be independant (with spunk) could be easily set in the 1960s. So the three noblemen become three rock stars (they rush the stage in the first moments of the play ala the Beatles, complete with paparazzi chasing them down the aisle) and their leader? Why, the Prince is now dressed very similar to the Maharishi! It worked so well! The language still fit, the jokes were still funny, and the play worked.
The basic plot is the boys arrive at the Princes home after agreeing to spend 3 years studying with him, and while studying they are also to fast once a week, only eat one meal a day, only sleep 3 hours a night,...oh yeah, and not come near any women at all. No sooner have they thought up this brilliant scheme, then they recieve notice that the princess of France is on her way to have words with the prince (the king of france is old so he has to send his daughter...and her friends too!). Of course, the guys all fall head over heels for these fair maids (or perhaps fair mods would be a better term) and attempt to woo them. The girls know better, and poke fun at them, play games with them, and pretty much drive them nuts, all the while dressing in go-go boots and mini-skirts. The boys attempt to woo them with sonnets, which they sing in 1960s styles - from the folk song to the rocker.
Stealing the scene was the character of Costard, the fool of the play, this time portrayed as a peace loving stoner. haha. He stumbled around, flashing peace signs and generally being out of it. He had the bandana, the tie-dyed shirt, everything.
This is definately a play where I want to go back and read it, because there was so much said and so fast. Lots of puns and wordplay that I think shot right over my head, especially while I was getting used to the accents they were using with a few characters. I'm gonna watch the Kenneth Branagh one as soon as I can (I took it out of the library) to see what spin he gave the film (he set it in the 1930s and used Irving Berlin songs).
The end of the play was sort of odd - it just kind of ends. It's like Shakespeare was writing and counted his pages, said "Hm, that's about 2 hours worth" and then just ended it. You don't really know what happens to the couples. It was odd.
But other than that, this production was a lot of fun. And to top it off, this is the show they are taking to the Stratford-On-Avon Shakespeare festival! I want to hear how it's recieved in England!
If you're in the D.C. area and have the means, I think this would make for a fun matinee. Check it out!
Oh, and afterwards I was bad and bought stuff in the gift shop, which I don't usually do, but this time they had handbags made out of material used in the play! And since it was set in the 1960s, the bags were fun and colorful so I bought one. Also got some earrings and necklace that are very moddish. So cute!
jimithingy's mom today and saw 'Love's Labors Lost' at the Shakespeare Theater in D.C.. It was a whole lotta fun (except for the part where I got lost driving to and driving home, I have no sense of direction)! I had never seen or read LLL before so I got to test my skills at understanding the language without and knowledge of the play. I think I did pretty well. This version of LLL had a twist - instead of setting it in the traditional shakespeare time, the director (Michael Kahn, who is THE MAN, every time he directs a play it is fabulous) decided that a story about young men seeking spirtual enlightenment and young women seeking to be independant (with spunk) could be easily set in the 1960s. So the three noblemen become three rock stars (they rush the stage in the first moments of the play ala the Beatles, complete with paparazzi chasing them down the aisle) and their leader? Why, the Prince is now dressed very similar to the Maharishi! It worked so well! The language still fit, the jokes were still funny, and the play worked.
The basic plot is the boys arrive at the Princes home after agreeing to spend 3 years studying with him, and while studying they are also to fast once a week, only eat one meal a day, only sleep 3 hours a night,...oh yeah, and not come near any women at all. No sooner have they thought up this brilliant scheme, then they recieve notice that the princess of France is on her way to have words with the prince (the king of france is old so he has to send his daughter...and her friends too!). Of course, the guys all fall head over heels for these fair maids (or perhaps fair mods would be a better term) and attempt to woo them. The girls know better, and poke fun at them, play games with them, and pretty much drive them nuts, all the while dressing in go-go boots and mini-skirts. The boys attempt to woo them with sonnets, which they sing in 1960s styles - from the folk song to the rocker.
Stealing the scene was the character of Costard, the fool of the play, this time portrayed as a peace loving stoner. haha. He stumbled around, flashing peace signs and generally being out of it. He had the bandana, the tie-dyed shirt, everything.
This is definately a play where I want to go back and read it, because there was so much said and so fast. Lots of puns and wordplay that I think shot right over my head, especially while I was getting used to the accents they were using with a few characters. I'm gonna watch the Kenneth Branagh one as soon as I can (I took it out of the library) to see what spin he gave the film (he set it in the 1930s and used Irving Berlin songs).
The end of the play was sort of odd - it just kind of ends. It's like Shakespeare was writing and counted his pages, said "Hm, that's about 2 hours worth" and then just ended it. You don't really know what happens to the couples. It was odd.
But other than that, this production was a lot of fun. And to top it off, this is the show they are taking to the Stratford-On-Avon Shakespeare festival! I want to hear how it's recieved in England!
If you're in the D.C. area and have the means, I think this would make for a fun matinee. Check it out!
Oh, and afterwards I was bad and bought stuff in the gift shop, which I don't usually do, but this time they had handbags made out of material used in the play! And since it was set in the 1960s, the bags were fun and colorful so I bought one. Also got some earrings and necklace that are very moddish. So cute!
