It was late October when the Cue Zero production company gathered at Concord’s Hatbox Theatre to begin rehearsing their performance of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). Now, as their Friday debut draws close, Cue Zero seems ready to unveil their frantic interpretation of Shakespeare’s collected works.
“I’ve been a professional in this industry since 2012, but I’ve never done anything quite like this show before” said Dan Pelletier, a UNH graduate and the show’s director. “All the entrances, costume changes and high-energy performances, the show almost feels more like a musical than a production of Shakespeare.”
Those turned off by the name “Shakespeare” need not worry; Cue Zero’s production is a far cry from a traditional interpretation of the Bard’s work. Originally produced by The Reduced Shakespeare Company in 1987, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) provides a brief interpretation of every single play written by Shakespeare and ingeniously mixes Shakespeare’s original themes and productions with modern, accessible humor.
“The show really is a farce,” Pelletier said. “It’s dumb, silly and really fun for everyone.”
Watching the company rehearse just days before their debut, it is not hard to see where the production’s sense of fun comes from. As Ryan Clark, Mike Perry and Spencer Costigan, the three local actors tasked with portraying all 38 of Shakespeare’s plays in roughly 90 minutes, flit between costumes, accents and scenes on the drop of a hat, the sense of hilarity that pervades the show never fades.
“With all the costume changes, entrances and dialogue, this show really has a sense of urgency,” Perry said. “Still, even when we struggle or mess up, Dan is laughing, not angry.”
The play creates a fun experience for the audience, but also poses a challenge. Cue Zero actors are tasked with playing fictitious versions of themselves as well as an abundance of different Shakespearean characters, remembering dialogue both in modern and classic English, performing a wide variety of physical stunts, countless costume changes and remembering entrances.
“I actually find the modern English scenes tricky,” Costigan said. “If you slip up in the Shakespearean dialogue, you’ll be okay as long as you talk really fast. People can tell when you say the wrong thing in modern English.”
Despite the show’s challenges, it quickly becomes clear that the cast has made themselves comfortable in the chaos of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged).
“This play feels like driving an ambulance,” Clark said. “It’s fast, it’s frantic and if you mess up you’ll throw everyone else off, too.”
Though Clark, Perry and Costigan will do most of the heavy lifting, the audience will also play a pivotal role in the shows high energy and success.
“Audience energy and involvement is key,” said Pelletier. “We really work off the audience’s energy, so if they’re having fun, laughing and participating at the right times it all comes together really well.”
Nowhere is audience energy better established than in the Hatbox Theatre. Located in the Steeplegate Mall, the Hatbox Theatre seats up to 99 people directly alongside the stage, removing many of the barriers between performer and audience.
“Hatbox is a great place for productions like Shakespeare Abridged,” said Kevin Barrett, who is in charge of Hatbox programming. “We don’t have to fill as many seats as some of the bigger locations, so we can focus on more specific, locally-done productions.”
Hatbox is embracing its flexibility, putting on more traditional shows as well as comedy nights, magic shows, concerts and even burlesque, in addition to the more offbeat productions like The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). The theatre also hopes to branch out further, aiming to produce a musical next season and add more dates for popular events.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) will run Friday to Jan. 22 on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 or $12 for students and seniors. For information or to reserve tickets, visit hatboxnh.com or call 715-2315.