Drunk Shakespeare – Location, Tickets, Reviews
Drunk Shakespeare, half-immersive improv and half-Shakespearean tragedy, is running at Quinn’s Bar and Grill through June. It is directed by David Hudson, a member of Three-Day Hangover, a company well-known for combining Shakespeare and alcohol.
Set as a meeting of the Drunk Shakespeare Society, each performance takes on a different play, features a rotating cast of society members, and is led by a different drunk actor. The evening begins with the selection of an audience member as King or Queen for the night — the one in whose honor the performance takes place. In addition to champagne and chocolate, the role of King or Queen comes with special privileges, such as the ability to stop the show and order the lead actor to drink more if the performer is still too comfortable with Shakespearean English.
Throughout the performance, the actors toy with the text, respond to and interact with the audience around them, give audience members special tasks, and generally do whatever they like, so each performance is different than the last one.
Maxamoo
The show we attended focused on Macbeth. The lead actor, Lucas Calhoun, began by detailing everything he had to drink before the show (which was a lot), and by drinking a shot. Quickly you know things are going to get crazy. This performance was entertaining, but less cohesive than past intoxicated Shakespeare performances we attended (The Hamlet Project and R+J: Star-Cross’d Death Match). In the balance between Shakespeare and booze, the latter triumphs here.
The actors clearly know and love their Shakespeare and their improvisational skills and high energy make for a fun night out. However, the program can get a little messy and unless you are fluent in Macbeth you probably will not understand the plot developments or absorb the rich text. That’s not such a bad thing — a whimsical, free-spirited, communal, drinking experience with an intellectual bent is more than most evenings at a bar offer — but prepare yourself for a little chaos.
Public Opinion
Have you seen Drunk Shakespeaere? What did you think? Comment below or tweet to us at @maxamoo.
Critics’ Reviews
None yet.
TICKETS
$29 (click here for tickets)
DATES
Performances through June 14, 2014
LOCATION
Quinn’s Bar & Grill
356 West 44th Street
New York City
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RUNNING TIME
Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, no intermission
CAST & CREW
(partial list)
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by David Hudson
Featuring Lucas Calhoun, Lindsay Hope Pearlman, Kristin Friedlander, Phil Gillen, Kate Gunther, Josh Hyman, Whit Leyenberger, Lou Sallan, Christina Liu, Damiyr Shuford