Kill Shakespeare – Location, Tickets, Reviews
Gideon Productions is performing a stage adaption of the graphic novel Kill Shakespeare by Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery at HERE Arts Center through Wednesday, March 5th.
This production is a lot of fun, colorful images from the graphic novel are projected onto a large screen in the middle of the stage. The actors and a foley artist (a/k/a the sound effects technician) sit in a semi-circle at music stands and perform from their seats.
The story is a mashup of Shakespeare’s characters and story lines. At its core, Juliet leads a rebellion against the imperial rule of Lady Macbeth and Richard III. Lots of characters make appearances, in roles that often subvert one’s traditional view of them. There are many inside jokes for people with encyclopedic knowledge of the Bard’s plays, but that isn’t required to enjoy the show. There’s plenty that’s funny for all levels of Shakespearean fandom (including anti-fandom). Our personal favorite moment was Juliet delivering a St. Crispin’s Day-style speech to rally the troops.
The actors do a great job infusing each character with a unique personality and voice. Even though the actors are stationary in chairs, they’re still fun to watch. A special citation goes to Daryl Lathon for the remarkable sound effects made with ordinary household items such as plastic, newspaper, balloons, oranges, and styrofoam cups and Neimah Djourabchi and Sean Williams for the musical accompaniment. The whole cast gets in on the foley action when it comes to fight scenes, using their music stands and metal tools to enact the sounds of war.
Recommended for. . .
- Fans and haters of Shakespeare;
- People who love graphic novels; and
- People who love performances in the style of staged readings and radio plays.
Public Opinion
From Twitter:
@JohnnyOpalenik: #killshakespeare was fun, funny, and everything that a live performance of a comic book should be.
@SurrealTimePres: My full review of @GideonPTH‘s production of @KillShakespeare won’t post until after the show has closed, but in short: SPECTACULARLY FUN.
Critics’ Reviews
Most reviews won’t appear until after the run is over, so don’t wait on them to see this show.
NY Theater Now
…there’s not much else for me to say other than if you love Shakespeare, or if you love comics, or if you love epic fantasy, do yourself the favor, stop whatever it is you might think you’re doing tonight and join the Shadow Hunters and Prodigals, join the tyrannical kings, lovers, fairies, and drunken rogues, join the revelers and music makers and all the other characters that populate Shakespeare’s world, and go Kill Shakespeare.
Theatre is Easy
A graphic novel-inspired tale that explores alternate Shakespearean realities and pits some of his greatest heroes and villains against one another in an epic battle to save or kill Shakespeare.
TICKETS
$15 (click to purchase tickets via HERE Arts Center)
DATES
Performances through March 5, 2014
LOCATION
HERE Art Center
145 Sixth Ave, New York City
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RUNNING TIME
1 hour 15 minutes, no intermission
CAST & CREW
(partial list)
Written by Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery
Directed by Jordana Williams
Featuring Becky Byers, Neimah Djourabchi, Abe Goldfarb, Stephen Heskett, Daryl Lathon, Kelley Rae O’Donnell, Mac Rogers, Brian Silliman, Sean Williams