Analyzing Shakespearean Biofiction

Dr Edel Semple (bottom right, above) from University College in Cork, Ireland, and Dr. Ronan Hatfull (bottom left) from the University of Warwick convened a seminar entitled “Shakespearean Biofiction on the Stage and Screen” for this year’s annual conference of the Shakespeare Association of America, where we discussed the how and why of, among other things, we made William Shakespeare a character in William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged). Edel and Ronan discuss how the seminar went and talk about the similarities between academic seminars and RSC performances; how incredible planning goes into making things casual and relaxed; what red leather pants really signifies (in both their American or British meaning); how adaptation is also a form of biofiction; shout-outs to all the contributors; layers of irony; what our version of Shakespeare might look like as played by teenagers; how the Shakespeare in Ben Elton’s Upstart Crow is and isn’t like Homer Simpson; climbing up on high horses; and, as always — the importance of the craic! (Length 28:57)

Episode 603. Value Of Limitations

The script for William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) has now been published in the US (after having been published in the UK earlier this year) and this week we talk about how the various limitations we’ve encountered — physical, institutional, and personal — have all required we make changes to the script, many of which improved the script and we decided to keep. Featuring the challenges of retraining muscle memory, the differences between a two-hour performance and an hour-long one, the possibly counterintuitive value of sanitizing for your comedic pleasure, the dangers of swearing even in Pig Latin, the joy of turning limitations into gold, the surprising distinction between crotches and nipples, the futility of coming up with a Timon of Athens joke, and the dismay of thinking that something’s terribly moving and discovering you’re only half right. (Length 20:12)

Episode 599. Coming And Going

Five RSC actors — Reed Martin, Dan Saski, Teddy Spencer, Austin Tichenor, and Chad Yarish — performed at Pittsburgh Public Theatre this opening preview weekend. Over beer, wings, and fried pickles, Dan, Teddy, Chad, and Austin discuss what’s involved with creating smooth transitions during performances; jokes that also come and go; the important similarities between Shakespeare and martial arts; adjusting blocking for a thrust configuration; the vast quantity of variety of theatre in the north Bay Area; working with John Douglas Thompson in Hamlet at American Conservatory Theatre; aspiring to Bob Cratchit; amazing musical scores; possible dueling Pucks; the difficulties of matching your own type; and the tricky nature of jokes that also come and go. (Length 20:17)

Episode 598. Returning to Pittsburgh

We’re honored to be performing William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) here at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre as the final production of outgoing artistic director Ted Pappas’ 17-year tenure. Actors and playwrights/directors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor reminisce about their many previous trips here while actor Teddy Spencer talks about what he’s looking forward to seeing and doing here in Steel City. Featuring memories of previous runs, tons of festivals, successful potty-training, crappy couches, snowy opening days, and fantastic audiences here in our home away from home.

Episode 546. UK Tour Report

”Our 50-city, 51-venue, 60-plus-show UK tour of William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) came to an end this weekend and Joe Maudsley, Matt Pearson, and James Percy sat down (on the beach!) to tell us what it’s been like to tour around the British Isles for four months. Featuring highlights and Read more…

Episode 545. Prague Shakespeare Company

Guy Roberts, the artistic director of Prague Shakespeare Company, talks about how the company was founded and how Shakespeare is bringing nations and peoples together. Featuring important Spinal Tap influences, the challenge of completing the canon, comparisons between LongLostShakes and The Complete Works…, revelations about the so-called “coast of Bohemia”, an excerpt from the Reduced Shakespeare Radio Show, echoes of Much Ado About Nothing, and the value of making people laugh. Recorded live at the Shakespeare Theatre Association. (Length 15:30) 

Episode 528. LongLost UK Cast

”Meet the cast for our 2017 UK spring tour of William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) (l-r): Matt Pearson, James Percy, and Joe Maudsley. Matt (a veteran of two and a half previous RSC tours) and James and Joe (who recently completed worldwide tours of Potted Potter) talk about how Read more…

Episode 503. Too Much Parody?

”Is there such a thing? Podcast listener and theatre critic Shannon Friday joins us to talk about this question, and inspires us to reflect on issues of theatrical parody, whether there’s too much of it, its value and its limits, the differences between parody and satire, the fear of changing Read more…

Episode 495. Curator Of Manuscripts

”Heather Wolfe is the Curator of Manuscripts and Archivist at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC and the one everyone turns to find out whether a long lost manuscript is authentic. Heather talks about her work and reveals surprising details about ghost stories, swiftly changing technologies, ink recipes, where quill Read more…

Episode 494. Austin’s Too Busy

”It’s been a super hectic busy time so on this Memorial Day, we look back to that day three weeks ago when Peter Eramo, Marketing and Publicity Manager at the Folger Shakespeare Library, took over the microphone and interviewed a young playwright and performer named Austin Tichenor, who talks about Read more…

Episode 491. Reviewing The Reviews (LongLostShakes Edition)

”We just closed our world premiere of William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) at the Folger Theatre in Washington DC, and the critical consensus (thankfully) is glorious. We review the gamut of opinions (including the one or two negative ones) and revel in the kind words, helpful criticism, levels of reference, Read more…

A Hoot, a Palpable Hoot!

The world premiere of William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) opened April 23-24, 2016 at the Folger Shakespeare Library, and critics and audiences agree: Long Lost Shakes “…is an absolute, resolute, hoot, of a bawdy comedy of errors!” Broadway World “A breathlessly irreverent and pun-filled romp!” Washington Post Whether praising “the lickety-split pacing cheerfully Read more…

Episode 475. Our Poster (L)Artist

”Lar DeSouza (known as @lartist on Twitter) is the cartoonist and caricaturist who created the poster art for our last three stage shows: The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged), The Complete History of Comedy (abridged), and William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged). We talk about our shared cultural sensibilities, the Read more…