Shakespeare and BBQ Al Fresco on Banks of Charles River

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

By Adam Long, Daniel Singer, & Jess Winfield

Directed by Steve Barkhimer

Produced by Georgia Lyman & Caleb Jon Magoon

Costume Design by Sarah Golden Martin & Sarah Hamilton; Scenic Design Consultant, David Reynoso; Fight Choreography, Angie Jepson; Scenic Artists, Jamison Albritton, Ryan Garvey, Ram Hannan, Sarah Golden Martin, Roz Thompson, Daniel Zins; Stage Manager, Tori Woodhouse

CAST: Daniel Berger-Jones, Gabriel Kuttner, Risher Reddick

Performances Thursdays - Sundays through August, 6:45 p.m. at Christian Herter Park, 1175 Soldiers Field Road, Brighton (Outdoor home of the Publick Theatre)

Tickets $15 www.orfeogroup.org or 617-747-4460

When they tell you that curtain is at "6:45-ish" and to bring your own food for the barbecue grill, it says a couple of things about the Orfeo Group and its production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). Their mission is to create community and accessible "theater for all," the atmosphere will be relaxed, and the performance has to be completed before dark. Borrowing the outdoor space on the banks of the Charles River normally used by the Publick Theatre, the play is presented au natural, meaning without lighting or amplification as those systems are being upgraded this summer.

According to co-producer Georgia Lyman, CWoWS(A) is being mounted on a shoestring budget with items begged, borrowed, and homemade, but that's not important. In the end, to quote the Bard, "the play's the thing," and this is a very funny, succinct rendering of the Shakespeare canon in approximately 90 minutes. Orfeo core company members Daniel Berger-Jones, Gabriel Kuttner, and Risher Reddick play countless roles, including all of the female characters in falsetto voices and less-than-attractive drag. They are working hard, but are clearly having a blast individually and collectively. They even draw the audience into the act during their version of Hamlet when a young woman is brought on stage to play Ophelia and the crowd is instructed to shout out various phrases as her id, ego, and superego.

There's something for everyone in this mélange, with swordplay, sock puppets, cooking lessons, and death by means of beheading, poison, and poison-tipped sword. Lacking an African American actor in the troupe, Berger-Jones, Kuttner, and Reddick don dark glasses and tell the story of Othello in rap. The sixteen Shakespearean comedies are condensed into one, amusingly titled The Love Boat Goes to Verona, for which each of the actors wears silly props, including googly-eye glasses, an arrow through the head, goggles, and a boa. The playwrights have crafted a variety of styles to relate the tragedies, but conjured up a sports analogy to play out the histories like a football game, passing a royal crown in place of a pigskin.

The inherent challenges for the outdoor location include mosquitoes, approaching darkness, and airplanes passing overhead, but the talented cast is undaunted and they seem able to go with whatever the flow may bring. Their individual qualities combine to equal one terrific troupe. While it is certainly not my intention to brand them as one-dimensional, Berger-Jones has matinee idol good looks, Kuttner rivals Buster Keaton in the deadpan department, and Reddick approaches John Belushi-type mania. In addition to their comic skills, they are all adept at reciting the Shakespearean language. Director Steve Barkhimer must have previous experience as a Ring Master as he has synchronized this circus and given a theatrical order to the scripted disorder.

Illustrating its strong commitment to connecting with the community, Orfeo is sharing the stage with various individuals and theatre companies who will present Preludes in the Park approximately 45 minutes prior to the curtain. On press night, the audience was treated to a snippet of Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead from Bad Habit Productions (July 30 - August 9, www.badhabitproductions.org). The colorful graffiti-painted backdrop created by seven gifted artists served them as well as the main event because of the numerous Shakespeare references. Kudos go to the costume design team of Sarah Golden Martin and Sarah Hamilton for allowing the actors to be comfortable in tank tops, shorts, and hi-top sneakers, while layering just enough Elizabethan accoutrements over them to provide ambiance. Thanks to Angie Jepson's choreography, the swordfights are exciting and without bloodshed (so far), and more characters die from broken hearts than physical wounds.

Despite all the death and violence, CWoWS(A) is a light-hearted, entertaining play. On top of that, Orfeo invites you to bring your own dinner to throw on their grill before the show and hang out with The company members. With ticket prices at $15 (free for students w/ ID on Fridays, free for all on Thursdays), it's a cheap date for al fresco dining and quality theatre. Summer got off to a late start, but this is a great way to dive in.

Photo: Risher Reddick, Gabriel Kuttner, Daniel Berger-Jones 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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