DCist: The Bard Moves Indoors For Next Year's Free-For-All

ahark1pd

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:18:27 -0500

IMGoph: awesome. :) small town.

IMGoph

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:41:28 -0500

ahark1pd: full disclosure on my part as well, i'm friends with a couple of people who were in the production, so there's a hint of bias on my end.

fafou

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:49:08 -0500

I agree with smittydc this change is lame. I regularly see shows all over town and the uniqueness of this event was the outdoor venue. I'd be fine with the calendar change if the venue remained the same. That way the theater folks would have less problems with the logistics. But indoors in what has become a circus @ Galley Place? Forget it. I'll pass.

oceanchild

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:15:50 -0500

I agree with ahaak - free theatre is free theatre. Especially at Shakespeare Theatre Company's level.

Liz

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:30:46 -0500

I'll be more likely to go see it at the transit-friendly venue. Sure, picknicking before the show at Carter Barron was fun, but I've had enough of getting rained on and dealing with the post-show crush on the S bus.

ahark1pd

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:29:25 -0500

@IMGoph: cool, thanks! :) (full disclosure: i was involved in that production. but i am fascinated by the different opinions and perspectives the various audience members i've talked to have had. hence the asking.)

IMGoph

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:33:30 -0500

ahark1pd: i did see it. twas fantastic. i'm not a shakespeare aficionado, but i was damn impressed with taffety punk's all-grrl interpretation

demonfafa

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:22:33 -0500

@will585 They tried doing that a while ago. It suffices to say the logistics did not work at all. The scenario is that people pick up tickets the morning of the show at the Harmon, Lansburgh, or WaPo office on 15th. Then you go with ticket in hand to the venue & seating is first-come, first serve. Trying to herd people around the National Mall would be a nightmare. The Carter Barron, however, is built for such an event, so the herding is far easier.

ahark1pd

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:21:34 -0500

@IMGoph: did you see it? what did you think?

ahark1pd

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:21:13 -0500

@IMGoph: did you see it? what did you think?

ahaak

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:08:33 -0500

It it still free? Yes? Then the rest is just details right?

IMGoph

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:03:07 -0500

bethesdaist: did you see taffety punk's version of romeo and juliet last month?

SY

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:22:36 -0500

Less likely. Carter Barron is a great venue for this. Last year's Hamlet was excellent, as was the ability to picnic in Rock Creek prior to the show. Now I have to overpay for food in Chinatown prior to the show. Blah.

will585

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:19:40 -0500

Pffftttttttt!!!!!!!! Move it to the Mall , lots of Metro access, we can still picnic and still watch the actors act in the rain while they do the show at rain pace.

songfta

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:58:18 -0500

Both I and my friends are far less likely to go with this change. I understand that this move may make it easier for less-well-off and/or transportation-limited theatregoers to enjoy the Free-For-All. But to me, the charm and attraction was in the outdoor setting at Carter Barron, with the packed-in picnic dinners that could be munched on throughout the performance. So thanks for the memories, Shakespeare Theatre Company. It was fun while it lasted.

Bethesdaist

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:56:15 -0500

This is some weak sauce. There is nothing nicer than being in the park while the sun sets and you are enjoying Shakespeare -- and I go to a lot of shows at both the Shakespeare Theatre Company and Folger Shakespeare, so I'm a patron and a potential subscriber. I hope some up and coming company like Taffety Punk takes up the mantle to do it in the park. In the immortal words of Married to the Sea, "Shakespeare Gots to Get Paid, Son."

demonfafa

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:40:28 -0500

An incidental result of the Free-For-All being held at Carter Barron was that only the people who actually had an interest in seeing the show would be there. Putting it at the Harmon Center seems like an invitation to madness. Give away anything for free and the social cretins will descend upon you like Xerxes' arrows. Frankly, going out to the actual event, even though it was a bit of a hassle was totally worth it for being able to be around the park and see a quality show. Seeing it at the Harmon is just lame.

majapa

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:24:43 -0500

I didn't even know about it, so I'll enjoy any free Shakespeare I can (to a degree).

smittydc

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:12:11 -0500

Lame.