Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor are two very funny guys. Funny, in every sense of the word, these madcap geniuses have penned a magnum opus that is for the Shakespeare expert and tyro alike–“William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged).” Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s (STNJ) current offering at the most popular Summer venue in town, the Greek Theatre at Saint Elizabeth’s College in Madison, New Jersey, this is the perfect family outing for all ages.
If you haven’t yet been to one of STNJ’s Outdoor Stage productions, you’re missing out on one of the best all-around cultural opportunities. The One and Only and I plan our picnic carefully and for those like us who plan ahead, we bring our own low-back beach chairs with our delicious food and adult beverages. And for those concerned for the planet, there is recycling available so bring a wrap and your Skin-So-Soft and you’re all set!
The show that is featured each year in this lovely sylvan venue is always a great introduction for friends or young family who are ready to step into the world of culture. Shakespeare scholars will appreciate the lightning-fast word-play among three gifted young actors, Connor Carew, Jonathan Finnegan, and Ryan Woods, all of whom will be familiar to STNJ fans. Further, one of the tropes of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, from which these abridged bridges emanate, is for the actors to go by their own names, when not playing characters, and incorporating local references into the script. For example, STNJ fans will resonate with in jokes like “Isn’t Jon Barker in this?” “No.” “Sir Patrick Toon?” “No.” “How about Dame Jeff Bender?!” (Jeff Bender is one of the other dazzling talents in this company, a gifted comic in his own right.) Connor, Jonathan, and Ryan are off like a shot with Disney references, pop culture, and the best physical comedy you’ll see anywhere in New Jersey. And like Bugs Bunny classics, the humor works on a myriad of levels. Directed by the brilliant Brian B. Crowe, with sets by Brian Ruggaber, costumes by Paul Canada, lights by Jason Flamos, and Kari B. Berntson’s sound design, “William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged)” gave us quite an evening. Mother Nature was fully cooperative with light cooling breezes and even the local airport sent but few airplanes over. And how the actors handled the flyovers is impressive.
The opportunities for audience participation are many and if you have children who are 10 and younger, be sure to sit in the front row! There are slapstick comedy, the most razor sharp puns, and the visual comedy which begins with the set and soars on forever! The One and Only was laughing out loud, which is unusual enough, and we both absolutely loved the show.
I’m intentionally scant on details, as you must see this yourself. Connor, Jonathan, and Ryan are working and playing as hard as they can and the results are hilarious and memorable. Each is a chameleon so be sure to do your ab exercises ahead of time–you don’t want to pull a muscle laughing.
Hurry and get thee to an ATM, as this show currently only runs through August 4. Go early and plan to go again, you’ll get even more from the show! Tickets are free for children and check the box office for other special pricing–this experience makes a perfect gift for Summer birthday so call 973/408-5600 now or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org for your tickets today!