Fools Fall...for Shakespeare revisited

I think it's fair to say that all of the contributors to this blog have a soft spot for things Shakespearean. Well, all except those hoppy-skippy-jumpy dancers with bells on their ankles. But all things Shakespearean having to do with gorgeous language, great stories, complicated plot points, etc.

Tonight (short notice theatre!) there is a free and completely unique event over at Artists Repertory Theatre, giving you a chance to say you did something no one else can claim: spent a Monday evening listening to an adaptation of Shakespeare's least produced play, adapted by Randall Stuart and his colleague Kathleen Turco-Lyon (from NYC), and read by 17 pretty marvelous actors.

All are invited to attend a free reading of FOOLS FALL, an adaptation of Shakespeare's "Timon of Athens" directed by Randall Stuart of Upon These Boards. Today, July 28th, Alder Stage at ART (Artists Rep) - 7pm curtain
(2 hours total)

With a cast of 17 which includes:
Kathleen Turco Lyon, Joyce Harris Wood, JoAnn Johnson, Gretchen Rumbaugh, Dawn Lisell, Tyler Caffall, Alex Kuechler, Margie Boule, Ernie Casciato, Phil Stockton, Pat Patton, Paul Susi, James Sullivan, Michele Brouse Peoples, and Jeffrey Gilpin (this list includes several Oregon Shakespeare Festival alums, including the two adaptors).

A little Timon of a July evening? Why not...

Learn more about it at: www.UponTheseBoards.org

3 comments:

shobiz said...

S'wounds! Fortune mocks me! Of course this would have to happen on a night when I'm stuck at home on Dad duty with Lisa on call. Alas and alack! I hope someone saw it and reports back to us here on the blog. Um, you know... anon.

But how dare you make fun of morris dancing? Don't you know it's one of the highest art forms of the English Renaissance? For shame.

Actually, I wiki'd "morris dance" looking for comic fodder for this comment, and, rather unsurprisingly, I found a serious and lengthy entry that is utterly devoid of criticism (either positive or negative), let alone self-deprecation or irony. Having spoken to a couple of morris dancers in the past, I'd say this indicates that the article could only have been written by a devotee.

culturejock said...

I am really glad I went. The first act was really engaging. The second act, a flash forward to "modern times," eh, yeah yeah, I get it already. But still, I would love to see this script in full production. More than anything, I enjoyed seeing some of my favorite actors from the good old days in Ashland, people I haven't seen in years! You all need to spend more time in Portland where I can see you!

culturejock said...

P.S. Cindy -- cynseattle -- and I were saying at intermission how fun it is to see a rarely produced work. For me, four plays in the Shakespearean canon have been particularly elusive: King John, Timon of Athens, Troilus and Cressida, and Henry VIII. I missed OSF's 2001 production of Troilus, but did cathc King John last year, so check that off the list (nice production in the small theater, too). They're doing Henry VIII next year, HOORAY. That leaves only Troilus and Timon, then. At least now I've had a nice intro to Timon of Athens, but I still need to see a full production before I can officially check it off the list.