I've been lucky to see over fifty theatre productions in my lifetime, the majority of which have been Shakespeare. There is comfort and security in going to see something I know that I already like. However, I do sprinkle in some non-Shakespeare stuff. Though, I don't tend to stray too far. While I've only seen three of these live, the other two are among my most watched DVD's.
EXIT THE KING by Eugène Ionesco
Exit The King is an odd play for me to like because of its absurdist humour, and yet I saw it twice. Silly characters and situations follow the King on his journey to his death. His wives fight over everything and the cleaning lady believes the throne room to be no more than a living room. One simple set is the backdrop for these discussions of death and acceptance of mortality. Wordy funny and slapstick, Exit The King, forced me to confront what death meant to me while having me in stitches as the King is dragged around by his sceptre.
DOCTOR FAUSTUS by Christopher Marlowe
A contemporary of Shakespeare's, Christopher Marlowe's retelling of Faustus fall stands out for its witty devils and entertaining sub-plot tricks. Shifting the boundaries of what should be on stage, Marlowe questions God and the bible but comes back round to rejecting the devil. He does this by throwing in some moral lessons, alongside a devil the Pope's hat. Marlowe makes us feel for both Faustus and Mephistopheles, without compromising their rejection of God.
UPSTART CROW by Ben Elton
The TV show is one of my favourites so it was a no brainer to go, see the theatre production. By incorporating multiple Shakespeare plays into its plot, while carrying over staple gags, Upstart Crow translate well from screen to stage. Ben Elton brings in new characters to great delight. Using the theatre to parody theatre. A brilliant cast made the ridiculous plot seems realistic and emotional while having me in stitches. Also, it had a dancing bear.
A VERY VERY VERY DARK MATTER by Martin McDonagh.
A funny, uncomfortable, and confusing play, A Very Very Very Dark puts its audience in an uncomfortable position by dealing with colonialism in Africa and the role Western Europe played. The play's plot is defined by the characters of Hans Christian Anderson and Majory, a diminutive Congolese woman, and their actions in shaping history. They represent the two sides of colonialism and knowing where the world stands today makes Majory's story that much more worth telling, even if it is fiction because the Beligum genocide of the Congo isn't.
DUCHESS OF MALFI by John Webster
The Duchess of Malfi is an Early Modern Play that puts a woman centre stage and revolves the plot around her. While the play ends in tragedy with the deaths of all principal characters, the Duchess of Malfi shows a strong female in a position of power that makes her own decisions. Proposing to her husband and creating the family she desires the Duchess takes control of her future, while her brothers plot her downfall. A love story that ends in death is a typical tragedy but with the Duchess, she found genuine happiness before her death.
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