With great anticipation Tuesday evening my husband and I made our way 30 minutes down the road from our house to see our first outdoor play of the season at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Ore. The repertory season begins in mid-February with performances at the festival’s two indoor venues, but the summer shows in the outdoor Allen Elizabethan Theater (the oldest stage in the complex) don’t start up until early June.
The temperatures were in the low 90s with only a light breeze, so we felt confident in wearing lightweight clothing even though the play wouldn’t end until nearly 11 p.m. For the first time we chose seats in the balcony: first row and nearly dead-on center stage, and it proved an excellent perch from which to enjoy Love’s Labor’s Lost. Even though I was an English and drama major, I’d never seen nor read the play. I found the prospect delightful: Unfamiliar with the plot and characters and having no preconceived notion of what the play should be “about,” I could just let it unfold before me and discover it as new. The notes from the director in the program thankfully gave little more than the barest outline of characters and storyline, aiding in my uninformed experience.
This was a production in which the youthful exuberance of the main characters gushes forth in lots of physical comedy; charming and witty repartee; and rules invented, reversed, revised, discarded and reinvented at lightning speed. Shakespeare dabbles with words, rhyme, cadence and double meaning in the same way as the players in this production splash their plain white costumes with brush strokes of color, delighting in creating a new world and new versions of themselves in the woods of Navarre.
Music and song informed much of the action in this version as well, with an onstage “band” including violin, cello, guitar, drums, keyboards and vocalists. Director Amanda Dehnert felt this contemporary commentary would help connect the audience to the meaning and texture of Shakespeare’s vernacular, and I found it helped underscore the emotional context of certain scenes, as well. This comedy ended quite differently than Shakespeare’s other, earlier ones: lessons have been learned and the characters have grown, but all is not neatly resolved with weddings and happily-ever-afters. It provided a bittersweet but utterly satisfying conclusion to this “new” find for me.
A few additional notes:
As I’ve mentioned before in my reviews of OSF productions, one of the delights in seeing repertory company performances is recognizing actors one has seen in other seasons or other plays within the same season. It allows you to develop a real sense of their range and scope and ability. This evening we saw Chris Butler, whom we saw as Othello earlier in the spring, play a ridiculous, pompous curate — a completely different character. And Jennie Greenberry who, with a lovely voice, played Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast a season or two ago, this year is a wise and saucy Rosaline in Love’s Labor’s Lost.
Also, there is something extra-magical about watching a play outdoors on a summer evening. The sky slowly darkens and the stage lights glow brighter, drawing you deeper into the play itself as the stars appear, the moon rises and tiny bats flit and flicker overhead. I hope you have the opportunity to experience such magic yourself this summer!
— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Apr 25, 2024Former Massachusetts Glasses Factory Transforms into New Hotel
In the late 1800s, eyeglass manufacturer George Washington Wells became the founder and owner of the largest eyeglass company in the town by merging with several smaller lens manufacturers in Southbridge, Massachusetts. By the early 1900s, Wells was running the largest eyeglass manufacturing company in the world, owning several factories in Southbridge and occupying more than 80 acres on both sides of the Quinebaug River. It was called the American Optical Company, known locally in town as “AO.”
Sponsored Content
Tips to Plan a Destination Event Worth the Trip
It's time to shake things up and inject some serious excitement into your next gathering. Whether planning a corporate conference, black-tie gala or milestone celebration, choosing the right venue can make all the difference. City Winery shares some tips to make your next gathering a rockin' success.
Daily
Apr 25, 2024This Travel Operator Brings You to an Active Icelandic Volcano
Recently, Iceland has gained the attention of several travel enthusiasts due to recent media coverage showcasing epic lava flows and bursts of white ash smoke. For those wishing to see this in person, Abercrombie & Kent released guided tours and itineraries to Beerenberg Volcano, one of the northernmost active volcanoes in the world.
Daily
Apr 25, 2024Hôtel Royal Unveils evian SPA, the First in Europe
Hôtel Royal Evian Resort, France, recently debuted its all-new evian SPA, the only one in Europe and inspired by the water cycle found in nature.
Sponsored Content
Hotel Indigo: The World’s Neighborhood Hotel
Part of the IHG Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio, Hotel Indigo is the world’s neighborhood hotel that celebrates how guests can discover, or rediscover, some of the most inspiring and culturally rich neighborhoods around the world. When staying at a Hotel Indigo hotel, it's not just about visiting a place — it's about being fully immersed in the neighborhood and wanting to take a little bit of it home. When traveling for business, Hotel Indigo offers a unique experience tailored to each location, making it the perfect choice to stay while traveling for work. With IHG Business Edge, travel managers have exclusive access to enticing perks, comprehensive travel metrics and carefully curated educational resources. It also includes a guaranteed discount on both business and personal travel for managers and employees, alongside an automatic upgrade to IHG One Rewards Silver Elite status after the initial IHG Business Edge stay.
Daily
Apr 24, 2024Summer, Unplugged: Get Cozy at These Digital Detox Destinations
There is a cure for summertime blues in the digital age: Find yourself a beautiful country inn, cabin or retreat far in spirit from the maddening crowds and distractions of daily life. Next, unplug, relax and don’t look back.
Fairfield by Marriott Phnom Penh Review
eFlyer Reviews
Apr 24, 2024Wolf by Vanderpump Opens at Harveys Lake Tahoe
Daily
Apr 24, 2024Lufthansa’s Allegris Takes Off May 1
eFlyer News
Apr 24, 2024eFlyer Deals
Apr 24, 2024Experience the Ultimate Stargazer’s Paradise at JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa
Escape to a place where the skies are free from light pollution and blanketed in stars. At Arizona’s JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, guests can enjoy the stars like never before with the new Celestial Retreat: A Stargazer’s Paradise offer.
Sponsored Content
Fill Your Heart with Ireland
Whether it's the people, the craic (fun) or the coasts, travelers always find something to love about the island of Ireland. What fills your heart?
eFlyer Deals
Apr 24, 2024Celebrate Opal Collection’s 10th Anniversary with Special Meeting Offer
Opal Collection commemorates its 10th anniversary with a special celebration offer. Guests are invited to join in on the celebrations and receive exclusive incentives like complimentary guestrooms, upgrades and turndown gifts, as well as a complimentary Champagne toast and $1,000 Opal Collection gift card for the meeting planner.
ShareThis