Walking around campus on a lovely evening this week, one might look up, stop short and wonder, "Why are there costumed students sword-fighting in the middle of East Pyne courtyard?" No, it isn't a language class gone mad. It's the cast of "King John," Princeton Shakespeare Company's upcoming production, which opens this Wednesday.
Your second question might be, "King John?"
Not many people are familiar with this play, one of the Bard's less-performed works, and this is exactly what attracted co-director Julia Ressler '05 to it. John Ryan '06 also co-directs.
"I saw a production of 'King John' in Washington, D.C. and was really struck by it," Ressler said. "Also, I definitely chose the play because it's not done very often, and it's a chance to present something new."
It's definitely an unknown show to me, so I asked Ressler for a short synopsis.
"King John is a really plot-intense play," she said. "It's all about legitimacy of rule. For example, when it was written, it could be compared to the situation with Queen Elizabeth and Mary, Queen of Scots."
The play is set up like this: Richard Cordelion, King of England, is killed, and his youngest brother John becomes Richard's successor as per his will. However, Constance, widow of Richard's younger (and John's older) brother, feels her young son, Arthur, should have become king. Constance appeals to the King of France, Philip, to help her replace John with Arthur. A third claimant of the throne is Philip, a bastard son of Richard.
Shakespearean mayhem ensues.
When I attended a rehearsal last week, the cast began with a warm-up. They cracked jokes as two actors practiced their stage-fight:
"Cut his head off!"
"Ow! That'll do it!"
"Not his manhood!"
They seemed to be having a lot of fun, and when I asked Ressler what her favorite part of "King John" was, she looked over at them.
"The cast," she said. "They are absolutely lovely, the most friendly, humourous, easygoing people. The initial few rehearsals with them . . . when you've been thinking about the play for so long, and all of a sudden people are speaking the lines — it's really miraculous."
When the warm-up was done and I sat down on the ground, off to the side, to watch the show. I eventually received a bench to sit on, for which I was grateful. Ressler assured me there would be chairs by Thursday; a good thing because as much as I love Shakespeare's era, groundlings never really had a good time. I only intended to stay for a little while, to get a feel for the production, but I was drawn in surprisingly quickly and stayed for the entire show.
The rehearsal I saw managed to escape the pitfalls that befall many Shakespeare productions. East Pyne lit up beautifully at night and had good acoustics; everyone came across loud, clear and committed. The open air setting was delightful: The weather was perfect, and I felt as if I was getting a more authentic Shakespeare experience. The company also made inventive use of space. Characters popped out from where you would least expect them. For a relatively unknown play, it was fascinating. Certain scenes vibrated with emotion or true suspense. And there were definitely enough drawn swords to captivate anyone with a penchant for shiny things.
As it was just a rehearsal, nothing was blocked off, so people wandered by and looked surprised to see the actors; but then some stayed to watch. And they should have, because most of the acting was excellent. Particular standouts included Andy Brown '07 as Philip, Bridget Durkin '07 as Lady Constance and Arthur Burkle '07 as King John himself.
This was not "concept" Shakespeare; it was just solid.
"Above all," Ressler said, "we tried to create a faithful, great production of the play."
By my troth, they have succeeded.
Read More
Princeton Zoning Board of Adjustment approves renovations to Tower and Charter Clubs
Sena Chang and Isaac BernsteinOn March 27, the Municipality of Princeton’s Zoning Board of Adjustment approved construction developments for Tower Club and Charter Club. Renovations for both clubs are aimed towards improving accessibility.
On March 27, the Municipality of Princeton’s Zoning Board of Adjustment approved construction developments for Tower Club and Charter Club. Renovations for both clubs are aimed towards improving accessibility.
Students support local businesses with new platform Zage
Jack AllenAfter hearing about the struggles faced by a number of these restaurants after students left campus in mid-March, Dilbagi created Zage, an online platform that allows community members to send money to local businesses now to redeem as credits on their purchases in the future.
This fall, go beyond the 'Bubble'
Dora ZhaoEven though classes are picking up, weekends are the perfect time for students to escape the Orange Bubble. While going out to eat on Nassau is enjoyable, there is so much to see beyond Princeton. For those looking for a day trip or a chance to explore the area outside of Princeton, here is a list of ideas to do this fall.