We're off to see the Bard....

Back yesterday from the annual pilgrimage to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; as usual, Ashland was gorgeous, the plays were intriguing (if not always successful), and the company -- a group assembled by the Whitman College Alumni Association (see whitman_alumni) -- engaging.

Per usual, the group saw five plays in three days; this year's roster included Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale and Two Gentlemen of Verona, Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, a version of Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac, and the recent David Edgar adaptation of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.   In order to avoid epic-length post(s), I'm going to divide up comments on the plays (and a couple of very good dinners at new/newer Ashland dining spots) into several rocks.

Friday evening's play was The Winter's Tale --( Read more... )

We're off to see the Bard....

Back yesterday from the annual pilgrimage to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; as usual, Ashland was gorgeous, the plays were intriguing (if not always successful), and the company -- a group assembled by the Whitman College Alumni Association (see whitman_alumni) -- engaging.

Per usual, the group saw five plays in three days; this year's roster included Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale and Two Gentlemen of Verona, Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, a version of Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac, and the recent David Edgar adaptation of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.   In order to avoid epic-length post(s), I'm going to divide up comments on the plays (and a couple of very good dinners at new/newer Ashland dining spots) into several rocks.

Friday evening's play was The Winter's Tale --( Read more... )

Saturday in Ashland: A Wilde and Nosy Guy

The two shows we saw on Saturday were a study in contrasts.  As I observed to others in the tour group in one of the post-play discussion sessions, it felt rather like an illustration of basic physics principles relating to the conservation of energy.

The matinee was Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, ( Read more... )

By contrast, the evening's Cyrano de Bergerac, on the outdoor stage,  ( Read more... )

Saturday in Ashland: A Wilde and Nosy Guy

The two shows we saw on Saturday were a study in contrasts.  As I observed to others in the tour group in one of the post-play discussion sessions, it felt rather like an illustration of basic physics principles relating to the conservation of energy.

The matinee was Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, ( Read more... )

By contrast, the evening's Cyrano de Bergerac, on the outdoor stage,  ( Read more... )

Sunday in Ashland: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Who?

More contrasts awaited us for Sunday's shows.  The matinee was a fairly new adaptation of Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, ( Read more... )

The evening's outdoor show, Two Gentlemen of Verona, began with an adventure in weather.  ( Read more... )

Sunday in Ashland: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Who?

More contrasts awaited us for Sunday's shows.  The matinee was a fairly new adaptation of Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, ( Read more... )

The evening's outdoor show, Two Gentlemen of Verona, began with an adventure in weather.  ( Read more... )