Note: Reviewed via pre-recorded video electronically transmitted by Fathom Events to a movie theater in Florida. Staged in the Main Theatre home to The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, “The Shakespeare Show” was introduced by the RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran. He provided a history of the Stratford-upon-Avon Shakespearean theaters since the renowned actor David Garrick tried to present a Pageant at Shakespeare’s first Jubilee. Because the event was to be outdoors and was rained out, Garrick could only recite an ode in honor of the Bard. But the Pageant came off as a success when it was later moved to London. The first successful theatrical celebration of Stratford’s own occurred in its Town Hall in 1746. In 1879 an official Shakespearian Theatre opened. As with Shakespeare’s Globe in London, the one in Stratford burned down until in the 20th Century the forerunner of the present set-up occurred. In 1961, when the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company officially was chartered as The Royal Shakespeare Company (after bowing in 1960), there was a main Theater with, next door, a Library and a Gallery with exhibition space. This was not part of “The Shakespeare Show” beginnings for there were two more theaters to be shown now: a Swan Theatre (where the Library had been) and The Other Place, begun as an alternate space nearby and now a larger venue. The Main Stage used for “The Shakespeare Show” had a huge thrust with tiers of seats on all sides and space upstage for a large orchestra. Screenings were shown between it and the thrust. To stress the universality of Shakespeare and the influence of his work on artists and arts of all times, scenes and speeches from his plays alternated with music, dance, pageantry, and scenes from other plays and musicals based on his works. David Tennant and Catherine Tate hosted the show amicably, and each performed once within it. The performances started with a lively clash between Sharks and Jets from West Side Story -- although the gang members mostly sang with a British accent. A “Tonight” duet came closer to the sound of American lyrics. A mid-show smashing comic “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” had two Brits in NYC with its Loesser lingo giving advice in vaudeville manner and at least three encores! Dance ranged from a hip-hop number using the poem “This Gives Life to Thee” accompanied by a guitarist to a Kenneth MacMillan traditional ballet for a Romeo and Juliet pas de deux. A contemporary ballet featured danced accusations against a frail white Desdemona by a powerfully built black Othello and his murdering of her. Duke Ellington’s “Such Sweet Thunder” for the Stratford, Ontario, Shakespeare Company in 1956 was one of two of his songs written to be heard in a play presented here. A selection by Berlioz typified classical music and opera that are tributes to Shakespeare. Three soliloquies stood out, the first being Jacques’s “Seven Ages of Man” from “As You Like It.” Here Catherine Tate spoke the words while supporting players paraded by her. They illustrated man as a babe in arms and all the stages of his life, lastly with a retired man, gray-haired and bent over. The ending was a projection and the words “sans everything.” Ian McKellen’s powerful address as Thomas More featured how immigrants should be welcomed. This speech drew hearty response from the audience. So did Helen Mirren reciting Prospero’s closing speech from The Tempest. “To be or not to be...” as probably Shakespeare’s most famous soliloquy, was begun by Paapa Essiedu, but interrupting him soon started a comic bit. Actors who’ve famously played Hamlet came onstage, each proclaiming that a different word in the first line be emphasized. The parade included a sighed-for Benedict Cumberbatch and ended with a royal surprise! (In addition, Essiedu got to say the whole piece.) Another scene with male actors having fun was a make-believe meeting of theater greats like Ben Jonson and Christopher Marlowe to whom a young Shakespeare was saying he, too, wrote plays. Scenes from the plays abounded and, to me, were each a treat played by consummate actors. Judi Dench charmed as Titania, bewitched and in unlikely love with an ass like Bottom, from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She also accompanied a late speech by David Suchet from that play. Oliver Ford Davies, whose face is more recognized than his name in the U.S., wonderfully presented a cross-gartered but otherwise contemporarily dressed Malvolio in Twelfth Night and generated laughs as well as pity. Duets included the scene after Duncan’s murder between MacBeth and Lady MacBeth, both ending with bloody hands; a spat between Beatrice and Benedict; the balcony scene between Juliet and Romeo; Henry V wooing the French Katherine despite her little knowledge of English. A scene from As You Like It had Rosalind disguised as a boy pretend to be Rosalind teaching Orlando to woo her -- the kind of twisted posing at which Shakespeare excelled. A major scene emphasized Falstaff (Anthony Sher) holding court in his favorite tavern, then allowing Hal to sit on the throne and judge the portly comic braggart. Alex Hassell (who did the wooing scene in France with Jennifer Kirby earlier) played the future Henry V, predicting how his relationship with Falstaff will change. In between live presentations, Joseph Fiennes showed and narrated film clips, mainly of the places associated with Shakespeare’s life: Stratford’s Avon River, Trinity Church where he’s buried, Shakespeare’s Birthplace (inside and out), his wife Anne Hathaway’s home in Shottery, Statues in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre garden. (I would have included Clopton Bridge that we know he walked on and New Place, his last home, even though it’s now mainly a garden with the rooms of the house laid out on signs. Also Mary Arden’s home in Wilmcote.) Joseph Fiennes commented on and showed film clips of a Japanese and of a Zulu version of Macbeth -- the latter performed in Stratford. Both featured their distinctive three witches prophesying to Macbeth. Also on film was a commentary by noted Shakespearian actor Simon Russell Beale (who, incidentally, is returning to the RSC this year as Prospero). Preceding “The Shakespeare Show,” Fathom Productions supplied some screened fun for audiences in waiting. “Shakespeare Said it First” was a compilation of now-common sayings. There was a series of related Fun Facts. “Ways to Insult Your Enemies” featured quotations from Shakespearian characters. All the references were good for getting the audience in the mood for the main feature. I won’t be surprised if that broadcast receives an encore in the not-too-distant future, though it would be appropriate next year for the 4001 anniversary, too. Maybe with an up-to-date Epilogue.
