Reviewed by Amber Dillard
The bard was alive tonight in Flint with the University of Michigan-Flint’s Theatre and Dance’s production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged] by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield and directed by William Irwin. The large crowd was greeted with an eclectic mix of classical music, rock music, and oldies. Seating for this production is on the main stage to create a more intimate setting. No latecomers will be allowed, so please be on time. You will not be disappointed!
The story focuses on a group of three young people whose job it is to give the audience a very scaled-down version of all of William Shakespeare’s works including the Sonnets. You don’t need to be a lover of the bard to enjoy this production-it has something for everyone. Our actors, Jillian Tate, Ava Ward, and Logan Reeves serve as our tour guides through all of the twists and turns of Shakespeare’s works.
It begins with one of the most well-known tragedies, Romeo and Juliet, where the actors play the cliff notes version and only focus on the most central characters in the main plot. Next, we are transported to a cooking show with our host, Titus Andronicus. Then Othello’s plot is summed up with a rap. All of the comedies are summed up in a matter of minutes and it is back to the tragedies. Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and Antony and Cleopatra are briefly highlighted as well as Two Noble Kinsmen and Troilus and Cressida. The histories are summed up in a football game and we end with the great tragedy of the Prince of Denmark, Hamlet.
The actors have clearly done their homework and understand what they are saying, but this reviewer had a hard time understanding them despite the intimate setting. It was nice to see women getting the chance to play Shakespeare’s fleshed-out characters such as Romeo, Hamlet, and Macbeth and Tate and Ward gave a wonderfully fresh take on these well-beloved characters. However, Reeves’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s female characters left this reviewer with a sour taste. All of the female characters were portrayed as helpless, frail, wailing caricatures of how real women would behave.
The set is stunning and the lighting for this show is spectacular. The amount of quick costume changes and the number of props is incredible, and all three actors handle each with skillful mastery. Kudos to the cast and crew for such seamless transitions!
There is an intermission in this show, despite its short run time, and one that this reviewer found unnecessary. The upbeat funny momentum of the show was abruptly stopped, and the actors could never get it back in the second half. Overall, the show is a rollicking good time with plenty of laughs, audience participation, and a great chance to get more familiar with the Bard’s works. I recommend going to this show and bringing all of your friends-you don’t want to miss it!
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged] continues through February 11 at the University of Michigan-Flint Theatre. One can get tickets by calling 810-237-7333 or going to https://tickets.thefim.org/.
Flint Area Theatres 