Shakespeare Theatre’s The Importance of Being Earnest & NT Live’s Coriolanus
I love theatre (when I can afford it) and recently I was lucky enough to catch two amazing shows: The Importance of Being Earnest at the Shakespeare Theatre Company and National Theatre Live’s broadcast of the Donmar Warehouse’s Coriolanus at a Shakespeare Theatre venue. Both were absolutely fantastic for completely different reasons.
First off, The Importance of Being Earnest:
This was (shockingly) my first time seeing this play by famed author Oscar Wilde. I found it refreshingly funny and the cast was just stellar. The lenses of time could not tarnish the humor and each actor played their part to the hilt. I was in stitches for most of the show. Also, hats off to whomever decided on the fabulous costumes and the attention to detail in the background scenery. Not much else can be said about it other than this: nab some tickets before closing night. The Importance of Being Earnest has been extended to March 16th at the Landsburgh Theatre location.
Added bonus: Look on Shakespeare Theare’s website for Under 35 tickets for a deal on prices. Sometimes it’s great to be a young professional in a thriving city.
http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/info/tickets/under35
Secondly, Coriolanus:
Wow, just… wow. That play was incredibly intense! I admit Tom Hiddleston was the main draw but after seeing his theatrical rendition of Caius Marcius I think I am an even bigger fan of his than I was before! Having the chance to see a broadcast of a play streamed onto a movie screen was an interesting experience and another first for me. I appreciated the close ups and the camera angles that showed me movements and facial expressions of characters I might have missed otherwise. It made me feel even more invested in the play’s performance. With Mr. Hiddleston coming from a movie background the close-ups were wonderful because he had such an expressive face throughout the play in keeping with his character. I felt some of the secondary characters could not pull off close-ups nearly as well but one does not usually need that for a stage show. The scenery was also very well-thought out, if a bit sparse. However, the stage was filled in unique ways and I very much appreciated all the directorial nudges and nuances throughout.
All in all I found it to be a highly entertaining and deeply impressive show to the point that I was considering going again but alas, it looks like the next show up, War Horse, is all that is available. Well, I’m definitely interested so maybe I’ll check that out, too.
Coriolanus was at the Shakespeare Theatre’s Sidney Harman Hall with War House being the next NT Live to come. A whole new world of theatre has opened up for me and I’m very much looking forward to another NT Live show!
There’s my mini-round up of Shakepeare Theater events for the moment. If you’re popping by DC I’d highly recommend checking them out for some high-class entertainment lower-class costs.
http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/
http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/ntlive/
Happy viewing!
