Shakespeare Outdoors and Out West!

Last night (August 8th), Lauren and I went to the final showing of King Lear at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, which is largely held at the Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre on the university campus (pictured below). Typically, everyone enjoys a picnic out on the lawn beforehand (they even sell the Bard's BBQ), the artistic director delivers a brief talk before the beginning of the show, then you grab a beer and take your seat.

This performance of King Lear took place in the American West of the late 19th century, with King Lear portrayed as a larger-than-life oil baron à la Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood (pictured below). At first, I was hesitant about this choice, seeing as how I've always thought the pre-Roman setting of the traditional King Lear wonderfully amplified the themes of bestiality and blindness. However, the "interpretation" was restricted entirely to the setting and costumes (making it a fresh, yet unobtrusive addition), and a stellar performance by John Hutton as King Lear anchored a solid, albeit imperfect cast. All in all, it was a compelling show, and we will certainly be back next year.