Cardenio Online Hubbub Monday, June 2, 2008

What did you think about Cardenio? Keep the discussion going on A.R.T.’s Online Hubub.

“The character of Doris was too “doom and gloom”.  She makes a good foil to the other happy characters, but should have had some kind of vulnerability.” – S. Daniels

“LOVED the play; one of your best. LOVED the set; nice to see a non-minimalist one for a change.” – Elaine A.

“My wife and I subscribed this year and, after reading the Globe‘s review, were not looking forward to Cardenio.  But we thoroughly enjoyed it.  What went right?    First, we stopped thinking about it as “Shakespearean.”  We enjoyed it for what it was…an actors’ farce performed by a great cast with only passing nods to Shakespeare and Cervantes.  The bad review was the result of wrong expectations and perhaps some lingering resentment at what ART did to Romeo and Juliet (DISASTER) and Julius Ceasar (merely wrongheaded).  We thoroughly enjoyed Merchant of Venice and generally believed that the Shakespeare, Greek and Brecht plays were among your best.      Now, why was it an “actors’ farce?”  The writing was fine but Remo, Karen, and Will (written as if they were buddies…) really formed the core of everything that was right about this play. Although the two women singers were very good.  We ended up recommending the play to all our friends although one of them left at intermission she was so disappointed.” -Jim Walsh, Nahant

“The first act was better than the second, maybe because the play began taking its moral climate too seriously.” – edlih h

“I do think that it is the worst play I have ever seen — it set my new reference point for bad, articulating the manifold ways in which it failed would require days of work, so I will elide the details.    I do congratulate the actors for being able to put it on without vomiting during the performance.” – rdf

“Wonderful play.  One of the best we have ever been to at ART.  We laughed out loud many times.  You NEVER know what to expect at the ART.” -Larry B

“We have enjoyed productions of Charles Mee’s other plays at the ART and really did not know what to expect with this collaboration.  Acknowledging that I probably missed many of the Shakespearean references, I left feeling that the play was not sure what it wanted to be.  And as well drawn as the individual characters might have been, the various relationships did not come to life for me on the stage.” – harveyp

“I have seen this play twice, and I attended the Harvard Magazine reception where Stephen Greenblatt spoke.  I thought the play was great fun, and I particularly appreciate that its adaptability to other cultures and situations is encouraged.” – Dianne V.

“very enjoyable production.    Why was the house so sparsely populated?” -J and R

“The 2 songs were wonderful. What were they?” -Stephen C

“Finding little nubbins of Shakespeare embedded in the story added greatly to our enjoyment – but in many ways, the play stood on its own merits.” – Lucinda K

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Cardenio Online Hubbub Monday, June 2, 2008: Your Cardenio

As part of the Cardenio project, Stephen Greenblatt has given support to companies around the world for them to produce their own adaptations of the Cardenio story from Cervantes’ Don Quixote. If you were to adapt the story, what would your play be?

“I heard Stephen speak about the Japanese version – I can’t conceive anything more wonderful than a motorcycle repair shop setting. It boggles the imagination! But it could work in a barrio setting – somewhere where the cultural underpinnings of honor, passion and violence make sense – to capture what makes the original story of Cardenio tick and what may have made it attractive to Shakespeare and Fletcher as a source.” – Lucinda K

“I would have parents getting married and children meddling.” – Dianne V.

“Conclude with Dorotea and Lucinda falling in love with each other and leaving their “gentlemen” to patch things up between themselves.” – edlih h

“I’d set it amongst mid-aged boomers, newly divorced and having difficulty ‘knowing’ what they want…and thus falling into wrong headed couplings.” – Elaine A.

“Set it in LA and Berkeley, with Will LeBow transiting on his Vespa.  Called the “Post-Graduate,” the play would examine the desire (and counter-desire) of the half-playwright (Greenblatt, found living at his former haunt, in Berkeley) to both claim credit for and disclaim credit for his creation.  With me so far?” – R. Henry R.

Cardenio Online Hubbub Monday, June 2, 2008: Weddings Gone Awry

We’ve asked our audience to reveal their best stories of weddings gone awry. What stories do you have?

“My own wedding went awry—at least I think so after 29 years of marriage and pending divorce.  We only had seven guests, and no parents came, and none were invited.  The photographer was a wedding gift from a friend, and he appeared in most of the photos wearing a hat with horns.  The maid of honor was the newly-dumped girlfriend of a guest who brought his new girlfriend who eventually married and dumped because he didn’t want children.  The groom’s brother was best man, and the groom’s sister who was gay was in attendance, being “hit upon” by the photographer in the horned cap.  The bride (yours truly) and the groom had to be approved by the then-City Clerk of New York (who later became Mayor Dinkins) because both had lied about being married before in order to expedite marriage.  They had been legally divorced, but just didn’t say so.  But when interview by the man who was to marry them, the prospective groom said he could not tell a lie (his one act of honesty) and said he and I had been married before.  The bride-to-be (yours truly), was humiliated but determined not to let the groom-to-be get away with such a low-brow way of trying to ditch the marriage.  So we got married in our apartment and celebrated on our deck with nuns and students cheering us on from the Catholic school next door.  We danced the night away, never had a wedding night that was consummated, and the groom’s sister (a nurse) faked a broken arm so she could claim that that kept her in New York for another day or two before going back to work in Atlanta. Of course, she had to wear the plaster cast we made for her for six weeks in order to cover the deceit.  The bride and groom stayed married for 29 years and should be divorced within the next few months. All’s well that ends well.    P.S.  The bride never consummated any of her marriages on the wedding nights.  That first marriage wedding night was spent sleeping in a used car parking lot in Connecticut.  But that is another story….” – Dianne V.

 

Cardenio Online Hubbub Friday, May 30, 2008

What did you think about Cardenio? Keep the discussion going on A.R.T.’s Online Hubub.

“I enjoyed the play, but not as a “lost Shakespeare” play. Had the advertising been themed in a different way, I think that the reviews would have been better. “Inspired by a lost play” would have been a better lead. A couple of the younger females could have used more projection in the early scenes (hard to hear even in row J). Some of the sound cues were too loud, poor balance with the audio levels of the rest of the play. Some of us are NOT hard of hearing, not having grown up with earphone constantly attached to our ears at 90 plus decibels. It was well directed as a farce, with rapid exits & entrances, which worked much better than a typical Shakespearian approach (at least from this non-expert’s view point).” -Fred C

“I don’t think the script had enough unity. It seemed like a number of great ideas but not a whole play.” -Damon J

 

Cardenio Online Hubbub Friday, May 30, 2008: Your Cardenio

As part of the Cardenio project, Stephen Greenblatt has given support to companies around the world for them to produce their own adaptations of the Cardenio story from Cervantes’ Don Quixote. If you were to adapt the story, what would your play be?

“voters changing allegiance between Clinton and Obama, tracking reckless request for support, initial affiliation, strange disaffection because of bad rumors, return to initial support but for better reasons.” -Jay S.

“I think I would either go all the way to farce or try to make it more of a drama.” – Damon J

Cardenio Online Hubbub Wednesday, May 28, 2008

What did you think about Cardenio? Keep the discussion going on A.R.T.’s Online Hubub.

“I thought some editing was needed.  The solo dance and the toast (by the same character) were too long.  Shorter versions would have been more effective.” -T. Chrostowski

“I really enjoyed the play.  A clever and well-woven paean to Shakespeare.  Also, the set was fantastic – could we have it when you’re done to attach to the back of our house?”-MW

“I thought this play had vast potential, and was a lot of fun to watch.  However, it seemed ever so slightly lacking in depth: Shakespeare’s plays always resonate with deeper themes, and this Cardenio somehow skimmed the surface.” -A. Milton

“I really loved the music — the voices were enchanting and added real tenderness to the comedy.    The oddly wicked sister reminded me of the witches in Wizard of Oz — reinforced by the hat and especially the red shoes.  The costumes and scenery were terrific, too — as enchanting as the acting” -E.A.B.

“Enjoyable evening – I would say the best of the season.” -Hal G.

“The play was a piebald – splotches of boredom and of hilarity.” -Fred H

“First act felt stilted/artificial and was not engaging. Left me as an observer rather than a participant. The singular theme of forced betrayal with dire/happy consequences should have been balanced by a more positive experience and I am not sure the father/mother marriage would fall into that category.” -RvB

 

Cardenio Online Hubbub Wednesday, May 28, 2008: Your Cardenio

As part of the Cardenio project, Stephen Greenblatt has given support to companies around the world for them to produce their own adaptations of the Cardenio story from Cervantes’ Don Quixote. If you were to adapt the story, what would your play be?

“More of a farce rather than an indictment of marriage, as exemplified by two couples and one divorcee.” -RvB

“Possibly a tragedy based on the wrenching consequences of lies, with implications for international relations in modern times?” -A. Milton

Cardenio Online Hubbub Monday May, 26, 2008

What did you think about Cardenio? Keep the discussion going on A.R.T.’s Online Hubub.

“The play was outstanding; the most important factor (other than a very sophisticated script) was that it is actually funny, both because of the script, and the acting performances. The actors commit big social blunders and everyone else sees it but them – the essence of humor in the context of an important social occasion such as a wedding.” – Jon L.

“For me, various elements were either stereotypical (choices of Italian music, the food descriptions during the wedding feast), or didn’t hang together–either with the character or stylistically — (e.g, the Barry White and the dancing in the beginning and the operatic singing by Susanna, the actress).” – Stefania Z.

“The play was A+ as entertainment, but that’s all.  It will not sink down into my spirit to remain and nourish.” – Petrakis B.

“I really enjoyed the play! It was a great deal of fun and such a talented cast!” – Leher S.

“Thought Remo was hysterically funny.” – Karen L

“I enjoyed the evening and appreciated the effort.  I needed to adjust my original expectation which was for a Shakespearean type dialogue interspersed throughout.  Too bad for me.” – Rob M

“A fun concept, but the play needs editing. Like the “Albanian” wedding toast, it went on too long.  It’s very arch- and meta- everything, and could only survive in a university theater. The actors were fabulous, otherwise the gimmicky show would have been a disaster.  Remo, as usual, stole the evening.” -perry g.

“It is too bad that the Globe gave a poor review.  It was a great fun evening.  I was awake for the entire performance.” -Steve

“This was a great idea, but the script needed some attention from a professional playwright who would have pruned banal language, set up the inciting incident more clearly, and kept the action from bogging down.” -VirginiaL.

“We loved the play and always enjoy going to the ART. We are also big fans of Steven Greenblatt’s work.” -jocelynmia

“The play was a play on human nature and the foible we experience in youth and in presenting ourselves as the wise older person.” -irene k

“Loved the vitality of the play, the parody of (too harsh a term, the admiring parallels to Shakespeare, the dance and oh, the acting, brilliant!” – David R.

 

Cardenio Online Hubbub Monday May, 26, 2008: Your Cardenio

As part of the Cardenio project, Stephen Greenblatt has given support to companies around the world for them to produce their own adaptations of the Cardenio story from Cervantes’ Don Quixote. If you were to adapt the story, what would your play be?

“I would model it more on Twelfth Night, but with a twist at the end.  The “boy” sent to test the bride is really a girl dressed as a boy.  Of course the emissary and the bride develop a relationship.  How to solve the mess?  Here comes the twist, which differs of course from Twelfth Night.  Secretly, the bride is a lesbian, and so is the girl who is now dressed as a boy.  When the cross-dressing is exposed, both lesbians are delighted and go off to get married in California!” – Petrakis B.

“In a word, disaster; mingling the artful nature of Shakespeare is beyond ordinaries like myself.” – Rob M

“It would be less self-indulgent and closer to Shakespeare.” – VirginiaL.

“I think it would be fun to set the story in a Florida retirement home. The characters would meet at a funeral instead of a wedding and the lovers would have had a long, faded history together.  In the end, they would be buried together with their true loves.” -jocelynmia

“How is it possible for me to change what is already complete for the culture I live with?” -irene k

Cardenio Online Hubbub Monday May, 26, 2008: Weddings Gone Awry

We’ve asked our audience to reveal their best stories of weddings gone awry. What stories do you have?

“One of the bridesmaids replied to an email saying, “I can’t believe your brother is getting married already. Do you remember when you and I used to fantasize about having sex with him and . . . so on and so on with explicit details. By mistake though she responded to the entire guest list, not just to her friend.” -Jon L.

“I attended one where the groom fainted mid-ceremony, but he soon rose to the occasion.” -Diane A.

“My nephew & his bride are environmental freaks. At their wedding they served a pre-ceremony supper with all ingredients gained from local farmers, organic growers, and the like.  And everyone who ate this “proper” meal got diarrhea!” -Petrakis B.

“The time came for the wedding to start.  The organist kept looking to the rear of the church, waiting for the bride to enter.  He played some of his music for a second time.  At least 20 minutes passed.  Finally the minister came forward and announced that the bride’s father had been stricken with appendicitis not 2 hours previously, that the bride’s mom was at the hospital while he had surgery.  As it happened, an uncle of the bride was there from Norway.  He gave the bride away.  He was wearing at traditional Norwegian folk costume, looked super in the photos!  Two months later the wedding party, Dad now fully recovered, donned their finery once again and had a second round of professional pictures taken!” -nancybt

“The bride invited her boyfriend who then followed the newly weds on their honeymoon! The bride managed to keep both men happy without them knowing about each other. Needless to say, it ended badly!” -jocelynmia