Review - The Whistling Idiots cast of characters brings the holy word of the Bard to the masses - one performance at a time
Courtesy of M-Live - Published: Saturday, April 14, 2012, 9:48 AMBAY CITY, MI – The question on Thursday – can three guys directed by a gal bring every play ever written by William Shakespeare to life in right around two hours.
The answer – a resounding yes – was answered Friday night.
The three men – Marty Hofelich of Midland, Christopher Comtois of Bay City, and Christian Schwager of Saginaw, literally hit the ground running and didn't stop until the last word of the Bard was uttered – more or less. This is “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).”
View full sizeRomeo, played by Marty Hofelich of Midland declares his love to Juliet, played by Christian Schwager of Saginaw in 'The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abrdiged).'Every play written by William Shakespeare performed in two hours by the Whistling Idiots Comedy Dinner Theatre in Bay City
Courtesy of mlive.com - Published: Monday, April 09, 2012, 9:33 AMBAY CITY, MI — Every play written by William Shakespeare, all characters played by three guys in right around two hours.
Impossible, you say? Not so, say the three guys and a gal bringing “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” to the stage of the Whistling Idiots Comedy Dinner Theatre.
Those three guys will be bringing the characters of Hamlet, Romeo, Titus Adronicus, Julius Cesar, and Juliet and Cleopatra to life with lightening speed for an evening that the gal — director Caitlin Berry — says may get a little more blue than the first time she directed this show at Bay City Players in 2009.
“It's an absolutely perfect who for a comedy dinner theater,” she said. “We can get away with more craziness than we could at the Players. It's at least a PG-13, but we may push it a 15 or 16.
The show is exactly what it sounds like, a spoof on every play Shakespeare ever wrote. However, this abridged addition is written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, former founding members of the Reduced Shakespeare Co.
Still thinking Shakespeare isn't your cup of tea? This is one performance of the Bard's greatest hits that won't have you yawning.
“If Shakespeare was alive to day, he would be rolling in the aisles,” she said. “Shakespeare was a brilliant comedian. You had to make an effort to understand that. A show like this is a good jumping off point.”
Plus, says Christopher Comtois of Bay City, you don't have to be a Shakespeare buff to understand it.
Comtois, who stage managed the 2009 version, takes on the roles of Hamlet, Titus Adronicus and various other characters.