Last month I enjoyed two different types of live theater in the space of three evenings. That’s approximately two-thirds of my annual live performances, squeezed into about 50 hours.
First, the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival presented The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The classic tale is told with modern attire, and modern musical interludes amused me. The intro was set to a riff on “My Sharona,” by The Knack. My Verona! It took some careful listening to understand the Bard’s English at first, but I settled in and enjoyed the evening. The setting, overlooking the Hudson River, helps give the outdoor (under a tent) performance some extra grandeur. Thanks, Mom.
Two nights later, the wife and I laughed our way through Monty Python’s Spamalot. No Tim Curry that evening, but Arthur and the rest of the bunch were top notch. The whole evening delights in just how ridiculous it is that Python is on Broadway. Damn expensive tickets (a story for another time), but fun. If you want to go, plan way, way ahead (unlike me).
Shakespeare to Monty Python… all Brits, all the time.