"The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr" Abridged.

As presented by Oregon Stageworks.



I will start this off by syaing that the actors were fully committed to their performance, and gave a one hundred and twenty percent performance. I was, in part, impressed with that.



The compliments dispensed, I was largely bored with the play and disappointed. For many years I had heard about this play, had been told its comedic virtue. Yet, beneath a thin veneer of clever Shakespearian cutting and wordplay, it was just a two hour pratfall. Now I do appreciate physical comedy, but I also recognize that one of the key tenets of comedy is the need for freshness. Case in point, there was a joke about George Bush vomiting in Japan. I believe that was seventeen years ago... Not so fresh.



A professor of mine told me that there is room in a play for a joke three times. The fourth time, the joke must change, it must have a different result. At that point, the joke is the unexpected twist playing off of the audience's expectation. I agreed with her then. Since that time, I have seen instances where a joke is funny because of the sheer number of times it is repeated, and then the joke is not funny, the incredulous repetition is. I also think there is only room for a joke to be done twice before requiring a different effect. Contemporary audiences are Johnny on the spot to call a joke.



All that said, the show resonated with the same jokes over and over again. My grandfather suggested we leave at the half, and had we not been sitting in the front row, I would have agreed.



I am curious, however, for the show seemed heavily based on improvisation. I would be interested to read the original script to see if the physicality is contained in the script or if that was the director's call...



Play nice.