The Edinburgh Fringe is almost upon us and to get prepared for another Scottish summer Read About Stuff is running a ‘Five From The Fringe’ interview series, where creative teams answer five questions about their upcoming Festival shows.
In this interview, I chat to Flying Solo about their new show The Great Shakespeare Showdown in Silver City.
Can you tell me a little about your show and what audiences can expect?
The Great Shakespeare Showdown is a fast paced, joy filled, frolic pitting two well-known actors of Shakespeare, the Brit, Sir Charles Goodknight, and the Glittering Gold Star of the Western (American) Stage, Harriet Twelvetrees, in an Olympiad of Wordsmiths to determine which is the better actor.
Set at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado in 1882, shortly after the appearance of Sir Oscar Wilde on that very stage, the proceedings are overseen by Billy D. Holcombe, silver miner and Shakespeare aficionado extraordinaire. The audience, or rather the citizens of Leadville, are encouraged to take on the roles of distinguished residents and/or the rabble-rousing miners, led by T. J. (who will be played by a different guest artist each performance) in the balcony, and urged to cheer, boo, and hiss for their favorite performer, or even shout out their favorite Shakespeare lines or name the plays the actors are quoting. It’s also perfectly acceptable to do none of those things but simply enjoy the wordplay and silly shenanigans of both performers and audience.
What drew you to this specific story, and why does it belong at the Edinburgh Fringe?
Several years ago, I read an article about the 19th-century mining communities and camps in Colorado and the love of the works of Shakespeare exhibited by the miners in many ways. This included everything from naming mines after Shakespeare plays and characters to reading/speaking the plays in the camps to correcting professional actors when they went up on their lines. I found it fascinating that Richard III was the most popular play in the American West in the late 19th century and that Shakespeare’s Complete Works was used as a primer in frontier and mining camp schools. We don’t necessarily associate the often illiterate (but not necessarily uneducated) miner with the words of the Bard of Avon. We tend to sell those men and women who went West to stake a claim short, at least intellectually. Not anymore, as you will see in the play; Billy D. Holcombe holds his own in the “lofty” company of the actors.
This piece is tailor made for the fringe. Comic, highly physical, interactive, set in the American West and layered with the words of Shakespeare, the show will appeal and entertain audiences who want to laugh (much needed in this world), enjoy safe interaction with performers from their seats, still find the American West intriguing and bit romantic, and like Shakespeare. You only need to fall into one of those categories to enjoy this show.
What has been the biggest challenge in bringing this production to life?
Honestly, getting the show down to 55 minutes! And selecting what Shakespeare scenes and characters to include and which to leave by the wayside. And finally, how much of the history of the mining towns, miners, theatres and Colorado to include. There is a wealth of material and so much we have left out, maybe there’ll be part two of the contest down the road.
How does the design of your show (set, sound, or lighting) impact the presentation of your story?
Our overall design is fairly minimalistic, as befits a Fringe show. On stage we have one Victorian chair and one rustic box that represent the posh, upper-class, British style of Sir Charles in visual contrast to the rustic, rough hewn box from the world of the mines. The costumes reinforce the differences between our three main characters, from the work clothes of Billy to Sir Charles’ genteel frock coat, to the not-quite risqué hint of Harriet’s bloomers beneath her asymmetrical skirt. The show features music composed and/or arranged and played by Brandon Scott Grayson. Contemporary, 1882 popular songs, comprised the underscoring, some of which you might recognise. All the elements work to communicate the period, the trajectory of the story, (watch for touches of red throughout the show) and create a specific environment.
If you could sum up the show in one word or phrase, what would it be and why?
Long Phrase: A joyful cacophony of poetry, words, and barbs, mined from the Bard of Avon.
One Word – Joyous
The creative team are all well versed in Shakespeare with much experience performing in, directing and studying the works. That love and experience shines through the script and the performances creating a joyful, fun, entertaining, and a bit thought-provoking too, experience for audiences.
The Great Shakespeare Showdown in Silver City runs at Haldane Theatre at theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Venue 53) from August 7th – 22nd. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-great-shakespeare-showdown
