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The last time I went to see the Rude Mechanicals perform, I was pretty underwhelmed. I'm sorry, a 5'6" girl with a big rack and a 6'2" man with a bushy beard are simply not so identical that people will confuse them with each other when she puts on a pair of pants.

However, I've been told to give 'em another chance, and since they're doing King John, which I missed at Stratford, whatthehell.

So why am I writing this? Because poking around on their website produced these things of general shakes-geek interest: The Annotated Hamlet script (I love that idea, more theaters should do it!), The Hamlet Flow Chart, and these kickass posters for assorted productions.

Date: 2005-08-08 06:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stratfordbabe.livejournal.com
I like the idea of an annotated script, although who ever did it really needs to see a bit more Shakespeare -- or pay better attention. They mention that the line about "better wisdoms" is always cut ... and I've seen five or six Hamlets and NEVER seen it cut.

And I thought the whole induction very pretentious.

But I like the basic concept.

There needs to be an amendation to the Hamlet flow chart though. After the "do you have 100 lines" they need to add "did Tom Stoppard write a play about you?" Cause R&G do not have 100 lines each and they die.

Where do the Mechanicals perform?

Date: 2005-08-08 07:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] neadods.livejournal.com
The auditorium of a high school in Laurel, on the road between the malls, at least that's where I saw them several years ago. They're set to do 4 performances of KJ the last two weekends in Sept.

Pretentious possibly, but I was interested to see who they gave which line in the introduction. I'll give them this, they believe in reaching for the skies... even if I think last time they fell into the trees and bounced out.

What I like in the annotated is that agree or not (and ability of the performers to portray or not) you got to see what the director was up to. The 12th Night I saw had a really good idea as outlined in the playbill - that the twins are fleeing the French Revolution, that's why they don't tell anyone who they are and they don't send home for help - but it never showed up on stage.

Date: 2005-08-08 07:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stratfordbabe.livejournal.com
The prologue felt to me that they were saying, "This is what we want the play to be about, but because we don't have the ability to pull it off, we're going to "improve" and Shakespeare and point out what should be obvious."

The annotated script is interesting in the aftermath, and as a scholarly study, but if you have to post an annotated script in order to get the idea of what you were trying to do across, then you've failed. (I feel the same way about director's notes. If you have to read those to understand the play, someone screwed up.)

And in the induction, who the hell is "ingenue?" It's not Ophelia, she has her own lines. Is that what they're calling Hamlet?

Date: 2005-08-08 07:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] neadods.livejournal.com
if you have to post an annotated script in order to get the idea of what you were trying to do across, then you've failed.

Let's just say, so not a professional set of actors. But I was told that they've gotten much better, so I'm giving them a chance.

who the hell is "ingenue?"

I don't know. It wouldn't be the first time they split up a character into more than one character. Three Festes was... unique.

Date: 2005-08-08 07:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stratfordbabe.livejournal.com
Figured it out!!!!!

Ingenue is the young man among the troop of players who plays the girl.

LOL

Date: 2005-08-08 08:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tacnukesoul.livejournal.com
The RM productions vary from show to show. The production I was in (Comedy of Errors) went very well, I think. If you're ever over you can watch the DVD. There have been times when, in trying to be "on the edge," they fell off.

It is definitly community theater, even with the occasional ringer.

The annodated script is more of an internal document, though it is out there on the site for all to see.

Date: 2005-08-08 10:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] neadods.livejournal.com
There have been times when, in trying to be "on the edge," they fell off.

That's a pretty good way of phrasing it. I give 'em bonus points for the trying... but at the same time, it would be a lot more impressive if they could convey onstage what they had in mind.

I'll take you up on that Errors offer!

The Posters

Date: 2005-08-09 06:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tacnukesoul.livejournal.com
BTW - the artist who did the posters also did my icon.

Re: The Posters

Date: 2005-08-09 06:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] neadods.livejournal.com
Really?

I keep waiting to see if he'll do any of the other Shakes shows - or if he'd put those designs on a T-shirt, because I'd so buy one or two!

Re: The Posters

Date: 2005-08-09 06:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tacnukesoul.livejournal.com
You can contact him through his web site:

http://www.leemoyer.com/

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