Cymbeline

Before a few days ago, I wouldn't have recognized this name... Turns out that it's one of Shakespeare's lesser achievements, but, for me, it has become one of his most memorable.  Credit goes to the theater group (called Fiasco) which staged it in the New Victory Theater (NYC).

Sorry - once again - I give my enthusiastic thumbs up to a show that's about to close.  Six actors play all thirteen or fourteen roles (don't really know how many there were - too lazy to find the program I brought home).

Anyway - the actors have a pretty easy time doubling and tripling up on roles until the very end, which is when almost all the characters are on stage together, where everything becomes clear and all is forgiven.  At that point, the switching from role to role adds an extra layer of humor (I called it slap-stick and my son P qualified: "intelligent slap-stick").  It's so interesting how the modern choreography and staging worked incredibly well to bolster the spoken word and to highlight the play's "comedy."  (You know Shakespeare - betrayal, talk of seduction, rape, murder, ha ha ha HA!!)

At first I wondered if it was unfaithful to the play, in a way, to get the audience to laugh at things unrelated to the script - but, in the end, really - who cares?  Even in the bard's time males played females and the actors had to convey much through their gestures etc.  Come to think of it, the female lead has to disguise herself as a male in the second half of the play; in the 1600s there might have been a lot of hilarity for the audience in that male plays female imitating male.

It's all true to the spirit of the play which, after-all, had a happy ending.  Why not milk it for  laughs?  (It only works because the actors were talented and the direction so creative).

Thanks to P. for suggesting this play.  It was my Christmas present to him, but a very selfish one - no?  I got out of the house and L got me out of the house. (Laugh at that, but it's true.) Oh, I got to meet P's new girlfriend (E) who is very nice and intelligent.

P treated me to lunch and I was hoping that I might get out of cooking all day long.  But, when I got home, I found husband was waiting for me to eat... Sigh... the day's dirty dishes were waiting too and L's bottomless-pit/stomach.

Still, now that the kitchen is close to clean and everyone ate something fairly healthy (thank God for burritos - L- and hunk of meat - hubby), I'm feeling very pleased with myself for arranging such a great day.

Oh, wait, about my hubby's "hunk" of meat... It was only a small piece big enough for half a sandwich once he had given L a huge chunk.  He just loves to watch L put it all away.  I wonder if  he's thinking, I wish someone had given me this much meat when I was 14.