Patrick will be starring in the Last Cyclist at the West End Theater this May - June. Click here for info

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Oxfordians Shakespeare

This coming weekend I am performing in Measure for Measure as the Provost with The Oxfordians.

The provost is a simple jailer, but one of the most compassionate jailers I've ever read about. He actually has quite a lot of compassion for all of the "guests" of his prison.

Mow Measure for Measure. Its one of Willy's problem plays for so many reasons. It does contain some beautiful language and some very funny characters. But there are numerous issues, a death, the fact that it starts out a comedy and ends almost as a tragedy. The bad guy doesn't really get his just desserts. And overall, the scheming Duke/Friar is more annoying than helpful. Like most comedies there is a plot or a trick that the characters decide to put into place in order to catch someone, or something to that nature. I feel this "trick" in M4M is too little too late. But alas, we have it and we're performing it.

So the dates and times are
2/25-2/28 @ 7 pm
and 2/27-2/28 @ 2pm.

I had thought taking this would give me a glimpse into how an Oxfordian looks at shakes. It didn't. What it did do is drive home the idea that no matter who wrote these plays (I am a Stratfordian) they're all approached with the same respect, reverence, and lightheartedness that they need. So there is no special technique. If anything, this has been an exercise in getting my lines down as fast as possible. I'm almost there.

Now, the Oxfordians of course believe that the Earl of Oxford, Edward D'Vere was the author of many, if not all of Shakespeare's plays. One of the many potential authors. And out of all the crazy possibilities, he is the most legitimate candidate aside form Shakespeare himself.
Here is the site for the company of actors.
And this is the site for the Oxford Shakespeare Company. Both led by Ron Destro. Their goal is to open a Globe in the heart of Downtown NY. I could see that, you?

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