Watching Romeo flee Verona, William Shakespeare's Juliet sorrowfully gushes, "Methinks I see thee, now thou art so low, as one dead in the bottom of a tomb." Well, no one has died - save mayhap from laughter - but the play "The Beard of Avon" at the Sanctuary Theatre personifies lowness - low humor, that is. Suffice it to say this particular play is likely causing the author of Shakespeare's 37 plays, whoever he - or she or they - may be, to turn over (or thrash wildly about) in his or her grave.
The play thematically revolves around the questionable authorship of these literary masterpieces. The playwright Amy Freed admits to it being "a spoof or parody of authorship issues," and says she wanted to write a comedy about the multitudes "who are obsessed by conspiracies" surrounding Shakespeare's works. Conspiracies run rampant: Half the royal court, including Queen Elizabeth (Wendy Wilmer), attempts to publish under the nom de guerre "Shakespeare," and poor sheep farmer Will Shakspere (Grady Weatherford) is used and abused by the Lord Chamberlain's men and Earl Edward de Vere (Eric Singdahlson).
Meanwhile, Anne Hathaway (Valerie Fenton) plays Shakspere's wife, the well-intentioned strumpet, and Edward de Vere, the mastermind behind the Shakespeare conspiracy and the playwright responsible for the original plays and sonnets, encounters a mid-life crisis. His days of sexual promiscuity (mostly) over, he becomes cruel and vindictive to almost everyone, and his only emotional support stems from his lover, Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton (Brent Stansell). Confused yet?
With multiple characters undergoing multiple transitions and everyone having sex with almost everyone else, the play is fast paced and innovative. Housed in a cozy little theater, actually a former church sanctuary, the audience becomes intimately involved with the action, as actors constantly "have their exits and their entrances" in close proximity to the theater patrons. Moreover, fluid changes of scenes and abundant use of simple but multipurpose props overrides the obviously low budget of the production and lends authenticity to the homely, rough atmosphere stereotypical of Elizabethan theater and peasant life.
This play features rampant sexual escapades of both a heterosexual and homosexual nature, implied on-stage orgies and Wriothesley adorned with a Goldilocks-type coiffure long and blonde enough to make every girl in the room "full of envy at his greatness" - or maybe just at his lovely tresses. So yes, there is lots of sex, and yes, Queen Elizabeth makes several hilarious references to her "being, of course, a virgin," references which are later brought into question by her dramatic mood swings and constant flirting with Edward de Vere.
Another of the play's many highlights occurs in the third act as Anne, in an ingenious yet desperate plea, cries out "Juno, goddess of domestic justice, strike him [Shakspere] dead," as her husband quits home for life as an actor. This segment, aside from providing one of many clever mythological references, provides a relatively clean form of comedy that sits in utter contrast to practically every other line in the play. A virtual guarantee stands that the word "prick" has not been heard in such great frequency since inquisitional torture was outlawed and voodoo dolls fell out of common use.
Beneath the rough words and loose sexual dalliances, "The Beard of Avon" holds a deeper message, one relevant for college students. If a pig farmer can become a playwright, finishing and passing that essay seems a little more attainable, doesn't it? Indeed, a man who can't read, write or differentiate between allegory and a feminine ending becomes the most universally famous playwright in history through work and perseverance. Thus, the conspiracy of ownership is really boiled down to the question: Does it really matter? With a collection of arguably the greatest plays in the English language, "The Beard of Avon" recognizes that the writer(s) behind the works plays second fiddle to the genius of the plays themselves.
The play delivers quality acting, easy to appreciate humor, and an innovative approach to a timeless mystery. Those who don't know Shakespearean works well may miss some embedded quotes, but little of the plot or humor will be lost.
For tickets prices and more information, visit www.rorschachtheatre.com.
