Shakespeare Fourth Night: Tragedies are Truly Funny and Comedies are Truly Sad

—by Cara Russell–

The fourth night of the Annual Shakespeare Festival on Orcas Island once again took place in the lovely space of Random Howse. The stage was set, the garlands were hung, and the performers were tucked away in the back room, eager to entertain.

Regina Zwilling, the casual emcee of the night, introduced the first act, a performance of a play written and starring Cali Bagby, ‘The Bread is the Thing.’ Reporter Bagby tries to convince her editor (Colleen Smith Armstrong) that she has indeed met 450 year-old William Shakespeare (Robert Hall). Unfortunately Shakespeare drinks a vial of poison and dies before she can interview him. While all these things are afoot, Bagby impulsively eats a loaf of French bread. However, coroner (Mandi Johnson) announces that the bread is tainted and causes hallucinations and not so sudden death. Bagby hallucinates the entire interview and proceeds to give the audience a superb Shakespearean death; long and drawn-out followed by a sudden collapse. For the rest of the night, scattered pieces of the loaf remained on the stairs to the stage.

Next up was Jules the Juggler, who is becoming a favorite on the Shakespeare Festival scene. Last year he was known on the Village Green as One Fine Fool. Last night, as Jules the Juggler, juggle Jules did, and quite jarringly too. Everything was a bouncy ball of “death” or the plastic hoops of “doom.” And while nothing needed to be on fire, the anxiety level of the audience slowly peaked right up to the last stunt, as Jules balanced full pints of lager and vases of roses on sticks and brooms high above his head, and at one point even recruited the assistance of a willing audience member to allow him to stand on his shoulders and juggle. You can see Jules Saturday on the Village Green, after the parade. This handsome fellow, who prides himself on being a fool is a true showman, not to be missed.

The third and closing act of the evening was delivered by the Seattle improv group, Unexpected Productions. The guild of three men and two women, took requests from the audience and built a comedy around an heirloom bejeweled spoon, a keeper ring in the shape of a belt buckle, and the plot of the state of the current presidential elections.

The characters included Julia Rodham Clinton, Barnard the simple socialist, and Don Julio. Quotes of the night included; “I’ll not marry an ass, nor an elephant.” “The Canadians built a wall to keep the south out.” And “Methinks he doth protest too much, while he talks about his big hands, and I hold my hands to the fire and I do feel the bern.”

And don’t forget that today (Saturday, April 2nd) is the Shakespeare parade at noon in Eastsound Village (and all participants welcome!). The Medieval street fair with entertainment is on the Village Green (North Beach Road in Eastsound) from 11 a.m. to 3 pm.

Tonight is also the closing night of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, featuring sixteen local high school students and five local adult actors! Come see A Midsummer Night’s Dream as you’ve never seen it before. Utilizing Shakespeare’s exquisite text of yore, this production is set in modern times. Expect the unexpected! The course of true love never did run smooth!
Performance at the Orcas Center. Showtime is 7:30 pm. Tickets available from Orcas Center.