Few modern plays are more widely known, read, or performed than Oscar Wilde’s comedic masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest. Premiering in 1895, I believe it was the most performed comedy of the 20th century. Given that repute, it is a daunting task to adapt the play, as Sterling Sax did for Nittany Theatre at …
Tag: British Drama
The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare–3 Dec. 2017
The American Shakespeare Center’s travelling troupe is consistently excellent, and their production of The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Jemma Alix Levy, lived up to that high standard. The ASC’s distinctive performance ethos is one of the major factors in their success. Their performance style is a blend of the modern and the Elizabethan, …
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Pericles, Prince of Tyre, by William Shakespeare and George Wilkins–17 Mar. 2017
Shakespeare’s (and Wilkin’s) Pericles, Prince of Tyre is one of my favorite plays, but it doesn’t get performed that often, so it was an absolute treat to see the play not only done, but done fantastically well by West Virginia University’s Theatre Department. The production, directed by Cornel Gabara, was well acted, visually stunning, and …
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The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare–9 Oct. 2016
This is the fourth, maybe fifth show I’ve seen the Rustic Mechanicals perform, and this is the first one I would say was really good. My major critique of the Mechanicals has been the tendency to painfully overact, but with this cast and for this show, they (largely) resisted that tendency. For the first time …
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Romeo & Juliet, by William Shakespeare–17 July 2016
As everyone knows, Romeo & Juliet is the greatest love story ever told. Officially. Of course, the reality of the play is slightly less romantic and more teen suicide-y, but such is life. Or death, in Romeo and Juliet’s case. One of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, Romeo & Juliet tells the story of two young …
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Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare–10 July 2016
This review starts with the same disclaimer as my last Rustic Mechanicals review: I really like the project of a dedicated Shakespeare touring troupe for West Virginia. I find their mission basically admirable. Their performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night was better than their productions of The Tempest or Much Ado About Nothing, so I was …
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The Tempest, by William Shakespeare–20 Apr. 2016
First, I want to say that I am a bad reviewer of The Tempest because I have very definite ideas about how it should be performed, particularly how Caliban should be portrayed. Second, I want to say that I genuinely believe in the project of the Rustic Mechanicals, which is to bring Shakespeare’s works to …
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Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare–23 Aug. 2015
The Rustic Mechanicals' production of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" was average overall, lacking standout excitement. The setting, post-WWI wine country, suited the park venue. Noteworthy performances were Doug Seckman's Borachio and Steve McElroy's Claudio, both embodying their roles convincingly. Aaron Harris' portrayal of Dogberry, initially jarring, grew more appealing with time.
Phillip Zapkin 