It is probably not unfair to say that Quintero has sought to get as far away from the Bard as he could while still staying in the context of a Shakespeare in Taipei event.
But this is not to question the validity of Beautiful Shakespeare as theater, for the play certainly touches on interesting aspects of the creative process, and for those familiar with Shakespeare, does draw aside the veil of character, of time and of place to address some universal human experiences.
But is this theater as therapy? Rather than the escapist fantasy of alternative worlds that theater often offers? There is an uncomfortable suggestion that this is the case.
Quintero is dismissive of the intrusion of the Elizabethan playwright, taking the opportunity to focus on his own dramatic concerns. The result is interesting contemporary theater -- intimate, committed and occasionally playful but lets not pretend we are doing Shakespeare.
If so, the necessity of encumbering modern experimental theater with the presence of Shakespeare probably says more about the prevalent mentality of theater administrators than about the performers and directors who are eager to take advantage of the outstanding venue offered by the Experimental Theater.
Performance Notes:
Beautiful Shakespeare, by the Riverbed Theater, at the Experimental Theater of the National Theater Taipei. Today, tomorrow and Sunday, 7:30pm. Tomorrow and Sunday 2:30pm and 7:30pm. Tickets NT$400, available from CKS Cultural Center.
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