Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks

For the second year in a row, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, in conjunction with the Chicago Park District, are presenting Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks. Last year they performed «Taming of the Shrew» at a limited number of Chicago parks, this year, 2013, the program has been expanded to include 25 performances at 18 Chicago area parks where they are performing «The Comedy of Errors.»
Did I mention these are FREE performances?
And did I hear correctly that the city has made a minimum 10 year commitment to this program?
We saw the second performance of this year’s «The Comedy of Errors» yesterday, July 28^th, at Eckhart Park, and it was simply charming. It is a short 75 minute production that wonderfully captures the essence of the play, and presents it in «period» costume, using a slightly watered down version of the original language. It has been made to be VERY accessible to children as young as three, based on my audience observations. The physical humor is absolutely hilarious, one that had children in this audience of about 400, riveted with laughter. I had as much fun watching my two kids react to the play (and other children and young adults in the audience), as I did in watching the play itself.
This is a GREAT introduction for children to the brilliance of the Bard.
It is a great introduction for adults wary of the often present Shakespeare snobbery that turns them off, to the Bard.
Please don’t misinterpret when I say it is a shortened version with slightly watered down language, it is a faithful and extremely progressional (Chicago Shakespeare Theater professional) short production of the play that would make Shakespeare proud. Granted, yesterday’s performance was still a bit rough around some of the edges as some in the cast were get their lines memorized. And the introduction of the play where the cast pretends it doesn’t know what play they will perform is a bit awkward. It needs to be worked on more to have the desired effect. Still, this was something only a Shakespeare snob (guilty, as charged) would have noticed. When we saw one of the later productions of «Taming of the Shrew» in 2012, at Welles Park, the production was flawless. I am sure this cast will become more polished as they get deeper into the summer season.
Again, the physical comedy in the play was outstanding, and it was what drew the kids into the performance. The onstage «breaking wind» scene is one my 8 year old son is not likely to forget soon, he ROARED. When one of the Dromio’s walked through the audience and picked up my son’s Gatorade and took a drink from it, he was speechless with laughing eyes of approval and shock. This was a SHAKESPEARE PLAY?
For the 2013 season, there remain 23 performances at 16 Chicago area parks, including Tuley, Dvorak, Loyola, Hamilton Parks, South Shore Cultural Center, Humboldt, Rils, Douglas, Piotrowski, Gage, Welles, Washington, Marquette, Ridge, and Frank J Wilson Parks, with a final performance August 25^th at Garfield Conservatory at 3pm that Sunday afternoon.
Oh, and one last note, arrive early (the parks fill up for these performances), and bring a blanket, chairs and a picnic. New this year is an opening act at some (all?) of the venues, a Green Show featuring local artists. At Eckhart on July 28^th, the Green Show as «Forever Flamenco» performed by Soul and Duende Spanish American Theater.
I HIGHLY recommend this production of «The Comedy of Errors» to fans of the Bard, and those just getting to know Shakespeare. If you have kids, this is a Chicago summer treat that is NOT to be missed. Your whole family will get a little culture and have a belly laugh roaring good time.