Salado show a 'comedy of errors'
Posted On: Friday, Apr. 18 2008 05:00 AM
Courtesy photo
The
Salado Silver Spur Theater will host performances of the comedy “The
Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” on Fridays and
Saturdays through May 2.
By Laura Kaae
Killeen Daily Herald
You've read his plays (at least the CliffsNotes versions), and you know
his characters. But if you're thinking of the Shakespeare that's the
Olde English, hard-to-understand,
I-wish-I-stayed-home-from-school-today versions of his classic plays,
then you've never seen Shakespeare at the Silver Spur Theater in Salado.
The complete works, that is to say all 37 plays, will be performed this
weekend in the span of two hours at the Salado theater by just three
men – two of whom used to be professional clowns.
So that means goodbye long monologues and dramatic speeches. Hello,
"Othello" as a rap song and "Titus Andronicus," Shakespeare's earliest
tragedy, the cooking show version.
Grainger Esch, proprietor of the theater and one of the three actors in
the show, said the play is the fun version of all those Shakespearean
classics.
"It's good-natured satire," he said. "It's a really fun show."
"The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)" will be
performed in the 150-seat theater in Salado throughout the month as the
Salado Silver Spur Theater kicks off its 2008 season with the "Complete
Works" – a crowd favorite.
The show was performed by the same cast – including Grainger Esch,
Kevin C. Carr and Tony Blackman – last fall to rave reviews, Esch said,
so they decided to bring it back again this season.
Though Esch admitted some people might be scared off about a high-brow
show involving Shakespeare, the performer said "The Complete Works of
William Shakespeare (Abridged)" is a comedy for all ages and education
levels – whether they actually read Shakespeare or just slept through
that class.
"Our trademark is slapstick comedy," Esch said of the theater. "It's what we do best. This (show) was perfect."
The two-hour comedy is for kids as young as 6 who will enjoy the silliness of the performance, Esch said.
"Be prepared to laugh," he said. "But if people aren't careful, they might just learn something, too."
The Silver Spur Theater is at 108 Royal St., Salado. For more information, visit www.saladosilverspur.com.
Contact Laura Kaae at
lkaae@kdhnews.com or call (254) 501-7464