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Delacorte Theatre

All’s Well That Ends Well

by Hannah Frishberg on August 18, 2011

in High 5 Freelancer,Teen Reviews,Theater

Andre Holland and Annie Parisse. Photo Credit: Sara Krulwich.

The Public Theater’s annual production of two Shakespeare plays in Central Park is as sensational now as it was when the tradition began 44 years ago. Running 2 hours and 30 minutes with a 15 minute intermission, this year’s All’s Well That Ends Well tells the story of low-born Helena and her creative attempts to win the aristocratic Count Bertram’s love. Although one of Shakespeare’s lesser known works, this problem play displays both a wide array of characters as well as a surprisingly contemporary feel. While Shakespeare in the Park always performs its plays as they would have been performed at the Globe, certain elements of All’s Well That Ends Well, especially the war scenes and Helena’s strong, independent attitude, made the performance sometimes seem to be set during World War I, giving the play both a relatable modern flavor and a taste of 17th century England.

The play itself, already a fairytale for grown-ups, was only made more magical by the atmosphere of the Delacorte Theater. [click to continue…]

Tagged as: all's well that ends well, Delacorte Theatre, Shakespeare in the Park, The Public Theater

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Violence in the Park

by Katherine Brannan-Williams on September 12, 2009

in Theater

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Shakepeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theatre

Walking into the Shakespeare in the Park performance at the Delacorte Theatre, the vampire-esque music in the background let the audience know right from the start that the Greek play, The Bacchae by Euripides, was going to be dramatic.  A tragedy?  Yes, but also a horror story.

The story centers on a government that has outlawed love. The horror comes in when the people get a visit from the god of wine, Dionysus (also called Bacchus, and very well played by Jonathan Groff), and they refuse to worship him by joining in drink and revelry. This is when Dionysus’s possessed worshipers, called the Bacchae, descend to terrorize the Greek town of Thebes. [click to continue…]

Tagged as: Delacorte Theatre, Shakespeare in the Park, The Public Theater

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Twelfth Night

by Katherine Brannan-Williams on April 15, 2009

in Theater

Instead of the house lights dramatically lowering, and curtains opening up to an elaborate set, the grassy stage sprinkled with flowers and trees that matched the Central Park backdrop was an open display as soon as you entered the Delacorte Theatre. A few minutes after 8:00 p.m., men and women slowly walked out playing instruments, one adding on to another. They made themselves comfortable on a little hill, and a grandly dressed man walked in and stated the familiar, “If music be the food of love, play on.”

Shakespeare in the Park’s Twelfth Night tells the story of a Duke named Orsino, who is in love with the Countess Olivia. At the same time, a shipwrecked Viola, believing her twin brother is dead, decides to disguise as a man named Cesario, and work for the Duke Orsino as an entertainer. Orsino sends Cesario to impress Olivia. But, both the Duke Orsino, and the Countess Olivia fall in love with Viola/Cesario. Meanwhile, Olivia’s uncle, Sir Toby Belch, his friend, Olivia’s maid, and Olivia’s jester all play a trick on Olivia’s steward, Malvolio, so he believes Olivia loves him. The situation complicates when Viola’s identical twin brother, Sebastian, arrives, and Orsino and Olivia confuse Sebastian with Viola/Cesario. Everyone falls in love with the person they did not realize they would.

This comedy reminded me a bit of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, because of the mistaken love, switching lovers, and practical jokes. The comedic roles were very modern at times; I could imagine someone like Jim Carrey playing the role of the mischievous Sir Toby Belch. Twists in the plot made the story enjoyable, plus, what made it so great is that the tickets are free, so you can come back as many times as you want. You just have to wait in a line in Central Park until the tickets are handed out, but being surrounded by nature gets you in the mood for Twelfth Night.

This play was perfect for the outdoors, and a nice beginning to the New York tradition of free Shakespeare plays during the summer. At one point, when a dramatic fight scene between Viola/Cesario and Sir Toby’s friend, Sir Andrew Aguecheek was brewing, thunder was heard off in the distance, and seemed like perfect timing.

The ensemble members/orchestra were the connection between the audience and the performers. During one scene, they would lounge on the stage and quietly play background music, then during the next, they would sit in black seats just to the side of the stage, and watch intently as if it was their first time seeing this play, laugh when we laughed, and whisper to each other, just like the audience was doing.

In the note from the artistic direction in the program, it said that Shakespeare in the Park knew from the beginning of the year that they were going to do a comedy because of the tough time we have all been through this year. I believe that they did a wonderful job in lightening everyone’s spirits, and bringing a wonderful show to enjoy at the beginning of the summer.

Tagged as: Delacorte Theatre, Shakespeare in the Park, Twelfth Night

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