S72 - Queen Margaret - Shakespeare adapted by Jeanie O'Hare
Hungry for power and angered by their king, the nobles of Henry VI’s court plot and scheme against each other. As Henry wavers and the factions split, Queen Margaret is determined to hold on to power and protect the crown that will one day belong to her son.
A captivating exploration of an iconic moment in British history, the play premiered at the Royal Exchange, Manchester, in September 2018.
Labels: big cast, classic, flexible cast
posted by Larisa at 7:58 PM
6 Comments:
I love this for the classical play slot. It is new and innovative, yet classic as well. This would be a huge draw for actors and design team alike and provides is a much stronger choice than others for strong women roles. Yes from me.
It is an intriguing choice. The cast is large with tons of costumes, but it would work well in our space. I like the strong women in it. Unlike typical Shakespeare, we would have to pay royalties on it. I would consider it.
Margaret is a very interesting and important historical figure from the War of the Roses. I suspect most Americans have never heard of her, or the War. The play is likely to attract theater people including actors, designers, and audience. I believe it has been done in the round previously and could be done in our space. My main concern is will it sell to our general audiences. Shakespearean comedies and familiar titles have a better chance of selling than less familiar titles. Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern is a recognizable comedy and did sell pretty well. I wonder if an unfamiliar historical play will do the same.
Let's keep it in the mix for now.
There are a few bits to it that gave me pause on language choices etc. but overall I think we could sell a new adaptation of a Shakespeare play focused on Margaret. We'd have to educate audiences that it is a Shakespeare, but I think this could be doable for us.
I admire Ms. O'Hare for accepting the challenge to boil down Margaret's various appearances in separate plays by Shakespeare, and I think she did a respectable job crafting this piece. It's a play I would happily attend. However, I don't see it as a likely candidate for TRP. Those of us who are familiar with Margaret understand the play. However, without context for this obscure character (and not everyone is even familiar with Joan of Arc), I am afraid the majority of our audience would be confused and frustrated about the plot line. If we wish to do something "Shakespearean" then, please, let us do an actual play by Shakespeare. We often dither a lot about whether or not Shakespeare will fit in any given season. George Roesler has been requesting "King Lear," and we read a well-written abridged version several years ago that was done by Shakespeare and Company in White Bear Lake. So, I suggest we simply agree to do a Shakespeare and then decide which one will work best for the upcoming season.
I like the balance between female and male characters. The dialogue (for the most part) creates a nice illusion of being a classical piece even though it's a relatively newer play/adaptation. I think this story will be a draw partially because we are telling the story of a matriarch and partially because it's about the War of the Roses. (Some folks who like "Game of Thrones", "House of the Dragon", "Rings of Power", "Vikings", etc. will probably like elements of this.) The ending seemed a little blunt to me. There didn't seem to be much falling action there. It just feels a little off. But, overall, I like the play.
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