2010 Oregon Shakespeare Festival - So It Begins!

First Day of class at the 2010 Oregon Shakespeare Festival – I find myself in Ashland for the first time with my two favorite people, my parents. My first year at OSF, I took my best girlfriend Nicole. My second year, I took my father. And now here I am with my father and my mother. I am optimistic that they will enjoy this experience as much as I will.

We arrived early last night and checked in to our hotel. We decided to stay at the Holiday Inn again this year. It is about 3 miles from the festival, but we like the familiarity of it.

We drove into Medford for dinner. We ate that the Black Bear Diner and returned early to our hotel so we would be well-rested for today’s activities.

At 9 AM we met New Place for our first Wake Up with Shakespeare discussion class and were greeted by our instructor, Alan Armstrong. He is a pleasant gentleman and very intelligent, but a little disorganized.

The class is much larger this year than I have seen in previous years. And for the first time I am not the youngest audience member in my class. As it turns out I have graduated into the middle age group of Shakespeare – I am not sure how I feel about this yet, but at least I will not be picked on for my youth.

In the afternoon we attended Throne of Blood in the Angus Bowmer. Based on Akira Kurosawa’s film of the same title, this play astounded me with its visual and cultural connections to Noh Theatre, while keeping true to the base story-line of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Directed and adapted by Ping Chong, this play is truly a spectacle to behold.

Lady Asaji Washizu (Lady Macbeth) is haunting with her white face paint and synchronized Noh movements. Played by the Japanese actress, Ako, Lady Asaji appeared doll-like and nightmarish. Unlike Kevin Kenerly’s portrayal of Taketoki Washizu (Macbeth) which emphasized the humanity of his character.

After the show I felt suddenly ill, so we returned to the car after Throne of Blood to nap. I felt a little sick to my stomach and a headache pressed against the back of my eyes. Perhaps this was a side effect of the dreaded Scottish Play, or a result of yesterday’s dinner at the Black Bear Diner. Luckily the weather was nice enough to nap in the car with the windows down. Later we woke to walk the tiny community of Ashland and eat at the Greenleaf Café.

We then returned to the Elizabethan stage in the evening to watch Henry IV, Part One. I instantly fell in love with this history play. My dear Richard Howard (Cyrano from 2006) played King Henry. I love the silent agony that appears in the sparkle of his eye.

David Kelly stole the show as Sir John Falstaff. Dressed in a fat suit, this remarkable actor delivered the crude character burping and farting his way into our hearts like Don Quixote.

Rounding out the masterful performances of the night John Tufts caught my eye and ear every time he entered the stage as Prince Hal. I assume that they are setting him up to play Hal next year in Henry IV, Part Two. His character arc from a young drunkard to a honorable prince made his dismissal of Falstaf all the more tragic.

We could not have started out theatre experiences here in Ashland on a better note.

All that is left for me to do is take my NyQuil and try to get my body back on track for further adventures.