Barking
Mad; or How Hamlet becomes a Great Dane
by Michael
Dresdner
* L to R: Luke Amundson, Coleman Hagerman, Blake York
Again. She
did it again.
Explanation?
Last
year, after seeing her version of The Complete Works of Shakespeare Abridged (Revised)
at Tacoma Little Theatre, I wrote “With her unerring eye for humor and a truly
amazing cast, director Suzy Willhoft has brought one of the stage’s funniest
properties to a new and greater height of hilarity and lunacy.”
That
show was so well-loved that everyone involved realized its two weekend run was
not nearly enough, so they brought it back for an encore. If anything, it’s
even better with a slightly modified cast that has all the chops and incredible
chemistry to boot. This time it’s here for three weeks, which is better, but
still not enough.
Luke
Amundson and Coleman Hagerman have returned from last year with a new partner
in theatre crime, the redoubtable Blake York, to take us through a rapid and hilarious
tour of all of Shakespeare’s plays in an hour and a half. There are reams of
costumes (Michele Graves) along with dolls, puppets and other props (Sarahann
Rickner), but mostly there are three incredibly funny guys cross-dressing,
baiting the audience, changing characters and voices repeatedly, and flinging
exceedingly funny lines in every direction. It’s all in the name of turning
Shakespeare from imposing intellectualism into harmless, engaging farce.
The
opening night audience adored them, as did I, laughing and applauding from the
opening salvo to the anything-but-bitter end. Nor were they spared; during the
second act the three actors goad everyone into becoming part of the raucous
insanity.
Of
course, this play demands much not only from the actors and director, but from
the backup crew as well, so a tip of the hat must also go to stage managers
Sarahann Rickner and Sophie Nevins and lighting’s Niclas R. Olson.
And the
good news? This encore is still only $10, so there is absolutely no reason for
any right minded person to miss it.
For a
more in-depth take, feel free to read my review of last year’s version of this
same show at http://michaeldresdner.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-complete-works-of-shakespeare.html
It all still holds true for this wonderful
production.
The
Complete Works of Shakespeare Abridged (Revised)
Sept. 6
to 22, 2013
Tacoma
Little Theatre
* Photos by DK Photography
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