|
The free performances that have been taking place downtown for the past few weeks are the brainchild of Donato Colucci, who hopes to re-create in Naples the same type of publicly accessible Shakespeare program he founded with Boston’s Publick Theatre in 1971. Colucci’s initial efforts are quite the interesting mix. Eight scenes from eight plays — some in period costume, some in anything but — march across the stage. “Taming of the Shrew,” the best vignette of the bunch, gets a violent grunge makeover with Wende Gilmore and John Repa doing their level best to put each other in the hospital while spouting the poetry with savage grace. Meanwhile “the Scottish play” (superstitions abound about saying the name) finds itself in the 20th century. “The Merry Wives of Windsor” lands somewhere in Kentucky, much to its detriment, while “Much Ado About Nothing” is played as a bizarre screwball Western with Bob Hill as Dogberry dropping constant malapropisms in one of the night’s funniest sequences. Writers and actors make much ado about putting a “different” spin on Shakespeare. Baz Lurhman’s “Romeo + Juliet” sets the feuding families as rival gangs, while playwright Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead” creates an entire alternate universe around two minor characters from “Hamlet.” The question — as it always is when dressing up a classic — is why. Other than variety, I’m never quite sure why Shakespeare needs it. The enduring nature of the work itself would seem to indicate its timelessness — not a need for reinvention. The company is using the Norris Center Amphitheater in downtown Naples, not the inside auditorium. There are virtually no props other than costumes and the occasional chair or bench; there’s also no scenery. Lacking visual clues, it is often difficult to pick out exactly what direction the actors are headed with a particular scene — or if there is even one intended. Too often, the choice seems between personality and pure Shakespeare — not exactly bad, just confusing to the audience. Still, the Bard of Avon never goes out of style, and Southwest Florida can do much, much worse than listen to free Shakespeare. At a brisk 90 minutes, including a few words of introduction for each scene, the evening passes quickly. Still, I was left hoping for the chance to see a full-length play with a natural rise and fall of the dramatic tide instead of snippets. Offering up the barest glimpse of the rarely performed “The Two Gentleman of Verona” with Julia as a glamorous flapper only whets the appetite for more. There’s one final performance at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Norris Center Amphitheater in downtown Naples. Bring a folding chair, a blanket and an appreciation for great literature. You won’t be disappointed. “The play’s the thing.” — Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2. Scenes from Shakespeare's plays, free to the public The Naples Publick Theatre will present its inaugural production, All the World's a Stage, a selection of scenes from Shakespeare's plays, free to the public. Performances will be held Nov. 12, 13, 18, 19, 24-26, Dec. 1 and 4, at the Norris Center Amphitheatre, located at 8th St. and 8th Ave., Naples, opposite City Hall (not to be confused with the nearby Cambier Park band shell). Performances begin at 7 p.m. Bring a folding chair. Founder-director Donato Colucci, known for his high-concept Shakespeare productions in Boston, promises a surprised-filled evening. “The Merry Wives of Windsor is set in an Appalachia recalling Dog Patch, complete with jug band music. If you want to see Mistresses Ford and Page as a pair of Mammy Yokums, come on down,” says Colucci. “Without giving too much more away, we're doing The Taming of the Shrew á la grunge, with an avant garde jazz score that might curl your hair.” Other selections are culled from Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, The Tempest, Macbeth, and the seldom produced The Two Gentlemen of Verona, and King John. Colucci adds, “We have a fine cast of veteran actors from Fort Myers and Naples that includes no less than five directors. A number of talented people wanted to sink their teeth into some meaty Shakespeare roles. The evening should be a memorable one.”
|
Bring a folding lawn chair and settle in under the stars for The Naples Publick Theatre's free performances of "All the World's A Stage," a selection of scenes from Shakespeare's plays, beginning at 7 p.m. Nov. 12, 13, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26, and Dec. 1 and 4 at the Norris Center Amphitheatre opposite Naples City Hall (not to be confused with the nearby Cambier Park band shell). Founder-director Donato Colucci, known for his high-concept Shakespeare productions in Boston, promises a surprised filled evening. "The Merry Wives of Windsor" is set in an Appalachian-like Dog Patch, complete with jug band music. "Without giving too much more away," Mr. Colucci says, "We're doing 'The Taming of the Shrew' á la grunge, with an avant garde jazz score that might curl your hair." Other selections are culled from "Much Ado About Nothing, "Richard III," "The Tempest," "Macbeth" and the seldom produced "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" and "King John." "We have a fine cast of veteran actors from Naples and Fort Myers that includes no less than five directors," Mr. Colucci says. "A number of talented people wanted to sink their teeth into some meaty Shakespeare roles." Shakespeare - Bring a folding lawn chair and settle in under the stars for The Naples Publick Theatre's free performances of "All the World's A Stage," a selection of scenes from Shakespeare's plays, beginning at 7 p.m. Nov. 24 - 26, and Dec. 1 and 4 at the Norris Center Amphitheatre opposite Naples City Hall (not to be confused with the nearby Cambier Park band shell). Founder-director Donato Colucci, known for his high-concept Shakespeare productions in Boston, promises a surprised-filled evening.
Naples Publick Theatre presents: November 12, 2008 - December 4, 2008 8th Street S Contact: 239 285 2984 Location: Norris Center Amphitheatre Hours: 7pm Admission: Free
|
