Show Concepts: Pros and Cons



Okay, so I have been struggling/juggling back and forth between two concepts for Merry Wives of Windsor.  On one hand, a classic look and setting could be quite nice for this play and on the other hand, a transposition to the American West/Frontier could work exceptionally well.  When I last updated the blog I had pretty much settled my mind on one specific concept and then I went down to the park and everything shifted again.

I want to take a few minutes to lay out the pros and cons of each concept (Traditional vs. Old West).

Traditional

  

Merry Wives at The Globe Theatre in London



Pros

• what the audience expects
• Shakespeare's only contemporary play; would be nice to pay homage to this
• script references (knights, parsons, duels, out of date remedies, brothels, etc.) work without change/audience puzzlement

• possibility of sharing set expenses/construction responsibility with North Drama

Cons

• what the audience expects--gives them license to check out
• costuming would be more difficult and possibly hotter, especially since show is outdoors
• What do we do about music choices?  Elizabethan or contemporary?
• Do all three principals for children have to be men (they are squires, etc)?

Old West

 

Merry Wives at The Old Globe Theatre

in San Francisco

 

Pros

• transposing to America, makes no English accents a non issue for audience
• script references (knights, parsons, duels, out of date remedies, brothels, etc.) work with little change/audience puzzlement
• the imagery focus on stags/deer/antlers is very Western
• costumes would perhaps be easier to obtain and cooler to wear
• Live/original music could work and work well
• Westerns are hot again (Deadwood, True Grit, Rango, the upcoming Cowboys and Aliens, Hell on Wheels)
• because of True Grit, having a girl be Falstaff's "squire" works--making her Mattie Ross
• I'm tragically in love with the idea of how/what children of the Old West would make for fairy costumes

Cons

• really run the risk of becoming the Oklahoma! production of Merry Wives, instead of a Western set one
• Will audiences be put out by the transposition away from "traditional" Shakespeare?

As you can tell, I have been thinking a lot about setting it in the Old West, and in fact had pretty much made up my mind to go that route.  I love the hooks that that setting brings.  It is our American fairy tale setting.  And all of the script references translate to the Old West exceedingly well.  It creates more roles for girls.  The thought of using live guitar, banjo and fiddle is very appealing.  And I can't get over the visual potential of the flock of fairies that would be using calico and lace, as well as antlers and cattle skulls, to make themselves fairies.  It could be a really, really cool look for the finale of the show.

And then I went to the park, and started to think about the space and what a traditional production could mean down there.  I cannot overstress the magic that happens with Shakespeare when it is performed outside, and doing it more traditional attire could make that feeling even more powerful.  North Drama is doing a production of Rough Magic this fall, and they will be building/using a replica of The Globe stage in London as their set, which they plan on using as a touring piece.  If we could borrow/assist them in creation, then that could save us and them money. 

A practical reason, I know.  But practicality is important.  Just as it would be really hot to be in traditional Shakespearean garb for the shank of the summer.

In reality I am still torn.  Final decisions will be made in the next few days.  But you can chime in a bit if you want.  I'm listening, and if you have an opinion air it in the comments below.