Shakespeare Santa Cruz

[Drunk Monk]

Back in the grove for more Willy the Shakes. To make money for the *new* org, SCS (as opposed to SSC) went with two comedies, the first being that cross-dressing fav, As You LIke It. Curiously, it had country/cowboy costumes, a weird flashback to DallASS for DM, but that was somewhat negligible as the sets were minimal. For Arden forest, they just opened the curtain backdrop and lit up that lush redwood grove that is 'the grove', and that worked perfectly (Orlando posting his love notes to Rosalind on the trees at intermission worked really well). Only Celia gave her character a country lilt. The rest played it pretty straight. Rosalind was excellent, totally nailing her part. Celia was great too. The comic timing of the SCS troupe was spot on, getting laughs at so many subtle Shakespearian lines. Elaine Avila (almost DOOM little sista until her feminist ways protested too much) once told me that good Shakespearean actors should enunciate so that the first three rows get covered with spittle. We were in the second row of seats, but given that there was a blanket row before the seats, we were out of the spittle zone (good thing too as we could see it fly in the spotlights). 'Twas an excellent show. I Willy. His prose just shines and as a hack (yet professional) writer, I remain in awe of his poetic brilliance. It's so delightful to see a troupe tackle Willy successfully, and so wonderful to be at SCS, just a short drive up the hill, nestled in that magical redwood grove.

We go back tonight for Merry Wives of Windsor.