Drunk Shakespeare – the entire concept is in the title of the show. Granted, it’s not the entire cast that gets drunk (it wouldn’t be different from watching a bar fight if it was!) – it’s just one cast member. Part Shakespeare, part improv, all comedy – there was just something about it that caught my eye when I first saw the sign.
The humour just… connected. Not too crass, not too highbrow, with just enough relatability and literary merit (there is literary merit in this!) to pique my curiosity. Maybe if I hadn’t been a student (and now, teacher) of Shakespeare, I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid. But I am, and so I took the chance and bought a ticket for a rather spontaneous decision to watch this off-Broadway performance.
It was an absolute delight.
Synopsis
Drunk Shakespeare is a semi-improv comedy show based on the works of Shakespeare. Five actors out of a rotating cast will perform, and one of the actors will take five shots live in front of the audience. They will then attempt to put on a play from Shakespeare. The drunk actor can do anything he or she wants – and the rest of the cast has to follow. Some audience participation and games are also involved. The play that was performed for my show was Macbeth.
Cast
- Preston Mulligan
- Sarah Goldstein
- Nate Betancourt
- Ben Salus
- James William Taylor
Sarah Goldstein was golden as Lady Macbeth
Even before taking a shot (because she was the drunk actor for the performance I attended), Sarah Goldstein was already mingling with the audience, warming them up, and making sure that her heels were kept safe (I kept them safe). With such effervescence in her nature pre-drinks, it was no wonder that her acting prowess was heightened with a slight touch of inebriation. She delivered all her lines splendidly and with comic timing, going off track at opportune moments but still keeping to enough of Macbeth‘s original plot for the entire performance to stay coherent. When it came to dares – wow. She did a complete back bend and flipped over to nudge a cup from her forehead on to the floor – then took a sip after that.
Her final monologue as Lady Macbeth was done with such fiery passion – and juxtaposed with the comic circumstances she was in (approximating Shakespearean nightwear, surrounded by the audience) – that it’s so evident that she, and the rest of the cast, truly love the Bard’s work like no other. Also she tutors Mathematics! She’ll make it big on Broadway, mark my words.
Also she was sober enough to take pictures with the audience and go for supper after, so don’t worry! She wasn’t smashed or anything (so I presume the other performances don’t have the actors getting wasted either).
Lampshading Shakespeare
As plays age (and technology and stagecraft improves), it’s obvious that some scenes were written to accommodate the limitations of theatre at the time. To keep the plot going, Shakespeare also had to just make things happen, so you get random contrivances in the play. While it works for dramatic effect, some of the scenes were also lampshaded in the performance (Macbeth students, I’m sure you know what I mean) to great hilarity. It’s poking fun at the play, not at Shakespeare – but it deserves a little ribbing now and then.
Such pure love of Shakespeare
It’s one thing to parody Shakespeare, and sometimes such parodies can come from a place of disdain. But this humour comes from a solid love of the material, rather than mocking it. Imagine knowing your material – knowing Shakespeare – so well that you know how to adapt and roll with changes on the fly, only to bring it all back together for a familiar ending. This is true mastery of the works of dear William, mastery that can only come from the sheer passion that the actors have for Shakespeare. These aren’t actors who were forced to read Shakespeare, they’re actors who willingly perform plays (and improv) that they love.
Other monologues from Shakespeare were also performed during some games, which also made me realise – it’s not just Macbeth that these actors are so familiar with, but the other works of the Bard as well.
Splendid display of improv
The improv was also wonderfully executed, with the sober cast members reacting to the changes with aplomb. They also facilitated the challenges well (there are several segments which involve the audience participating in games) and kept everything moving pretty much on time, and at appropriate points. I had wondered if it was rehearsed – but then I saw the look on Ben Salus’ face when Sarah Goldstein went really, really, really off script. There was this look of shock, then frantic mental scrambling, then the improv as the show went on.
For me, that was one of the realest moments – and improv is all about reacting to the unexpected, isn’t it?
Absolutely hilarious
I was in stitches from beginning to end. From the tongue-in-cheek comments about what’s happening, to the bemused descriptions of what the audience is supposed to see (the performance is sans period costumes, after all), to the improvised banter and Shakespearean dialogue uttered in all seriousness – every bit of it contributed all levels of humour. These are actors who know their material so well that they jest with amazing expertise, with uproarious results.
Cosy environment
I’m not sure if the setup was intentional, but the staging configuration is traverse. Audiences are seated on opposite sides, with a third side reserved for “royalty” (the highest tier of seats). The proximity and staging lent a more personal touch to the performances, and made feel more intimate.
Should you watch Drunk Shakespeare?
Yea, thou shouldest cast thine eyes upon Drunk Shakespeare – especially if you’ve read the Bard’s work before! I daresay it’s even more entertaining than going to Stratford-upon-Avon (but then again, I’ve never been there before). It’s a performance that’s put up with heart – and honestly, isn’t that the most important ingredient in any play?
This review was for the 30 September, 2024 performance of Drunk Shakespeare in New York City.
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