Young Critics

In a season full of cliché and the God awful, overrated and overdone Nutcracker, I was not expecting to see something so innovative, hilarious, and remarkable that I could almost not believe the act of theatre happening before my very own eyes. Three outstanding actors gather onto one tiny, barely set stage (very minimalist) to perform all the works of Shakespeare in supposedly less than two hours. Sounds plausible? Not at all. Yet it is. The production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) at the Delaware Theatre Company is, to say the least, anti-Shakespeare. It forces you to forget all previous misconceptions you may have about the Bard. This contemporary, controversial, and amusing production was a parody of Shakespeare that left audiences enamored.

The show captured Shakespeare’s essence revealing that this material, often stereotyped as dry and didactic could translate into modern times in a humorous way. As the production occurred, laughter was pervasive, unavoidable; even the most straight-faced found themselves chuckling. How could one resist? The show was peppered with occasional penis jokes, political puns, sexual innuendoes, and silly slapstick. Not to mention raunchy comedy that included masturbation upon a play horse and an exposed breast. Harmless. But wait, a few kisses between the male actors and simulated cunnilingus on a dummy. Shocking! Not exactly what you imagine when you think of Shakespeare. But these moments do not deter you from enjoying the production. They add to the humor. You can only wish Shakespeare had put these bits in originally.

Allusions modernized the production and Shakespeare’s plays to the point where you feel it was written yesterday in Delaware while MTV, CNN, and You Tube played in the background. Seriously, in what other show could you get a Wawa reference? Although most allusions were general, some were so particular, I missed out on the joke. Sorry, I missed the eighties and the nineties. Perhaps I’m breaking some theatrical cardinal rule, but who in the world is Lawrence Olivier? Moments like these were the rare occasions where I did not laugh. These jokes flew over my head. But I figure the more contemporary material might have gone over the heads of my fellow elderly spectators.

Much credit must be given to Jason O’ Connell and Jeffery C. Hawkins whom played their parts ideally by never once breaking character. But amongst these multitalented and hysterical comedians was one whose star outshone the others, Joseph Midyett. Perhaps it was his boyish good looks, or fantastic knack for physical comedy, or his innate ability to play female characters. But his portray of the characters revealed a deep comprehension with Shakespearean material, which gave you insight into his splendid craft. This was made obvious during Act II when he delivered the “What A Piece of Work Is A Man” speech. During this, the theatre became soundless. For once no one was laughing, we all sat watching and marveling at this beautiful display of acting. Watching this young, very cute actor deliver a soliloquy by one of the most complex characters in the English language caused the audience to become engaged by his performance. I found myself captivated by the words, his gestures, the sound of his voice as it permeated throughout the theatre. Midyett did it so effortlessly and eloquently you momentarily forgot the difficulties of this type of the language, the complexities of this character. You forgot the comedy of the production and became totally engrossed in the moment. It was simply the best moment of the production, ironically one sans comedy.