Shakespeare Behind Bars

[ironymaiden]

the last time i was at the Varsity with scarlettina, we saw a trailer for Shakespeare Behind Bars and agreed that we had to see it when it came. it's here this week, and we were right to go.

as a group of inmates at a medium-security prison in Kentucky discover the truth of their characters, we learn the truth of their past and their present. i was immediately pulled into their world by the familiar rhythms of theatre games, diction work, and running lines. this cast is like any cast i've ever worked with.
we come to care about these extremely flawed individuals, and follow their brushes with solitary confinement ("the hole") and parole hearings as closely as their scenes from the play. The Tempest hinges on granting forgiveness, and these men are looking to forgive themselves.

and i wonder about the thieves and murderers with their shelf full of Arden texts* when i've met so many people in my life who thought Shakespeare was not meant for the average person. i guess not. i just know that i'd rather have a cup of coffee with one of these guys than with the jocks from my high school.

oldmangrumpus recommends checking out the This American Life about Hamlet, which he says is a similar story (TAL link opens a landing page with a description where you can choose to stream the show). i urge anyone in Seattle with an interest in Shakespeare to get to the Varsity before this one is gone.


* i was going to link to a page of the Arden edition from Amazon, only to discover that "see inside" shows you another edition of Tempest. those fuckers. the reason you buy an Arden is for the footnotes. grumble. grumble. grumble.

Comments

[oldmangrumpus.livejournal.com]

Actually I found a way around the This American Life landing page, and you can find Act V here (http://207.70.82.73/pages/descriptions/02/218.html).

And here you definitely see that Shakespeare is certainly meant for the average person. All the average person has to do is want it.

Heck, scarlettina and I once saw a performance of Hamlet done with little plastic figures ("Tiny Ninja Theater presents Hamlet! The Greatest Play Ever Written by the Smallest Cast Ever Assembled!!") and it still rocked.

[ironymaiden]

thanks, we're pointing at the same page - i try to make sure i describe links to a/v content so my friends on dialup or in a quiet office don't get a nasty surprise.

[buhrger]

i was going to link to a page of the Arden edition from Amazon
you could always just link to arden's site... i probably still have the two ardens i got in high school somewhere. they were great.

[markbourne.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting this. I've read about Shakespeare Behind Bars and -- having heard the "This American Life" piece back when it first aired -- have been enthusiastic about seeing it. So it's good to know it's finally here. Will absolutely catch it. Our revels now are ... still going, actually.