Watch “Shakespeare in Hollywood” from April 1-17, 2011

“Shakespeare in Hollywood” is the most recent play which will be shown by the Repertory Philippines 2011 Season. This play will be shown starting  April 1, 2011.

Based on Ken Ludwig’s comedy tale about the making of the Warner Brothers 1935 movie version of Shakepeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, the story of the play has a twist though that will surely make you laugh all the way.

Play Plot Summary

It’s year 1934, and Shakespeare’s most prominent fairies, Oberon and Puck, have magically been brought to life on the Warner Bros. Hollywood set of Max Reinhardt’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Quickly lured by the glitz and charm of showbiz, the two are brought onto the limelight to play (who else?) themselves. Through a series of fortuitous happennings, Oberon and Puck ended up playing themselves in Reinhardt’s movie, and Oberon suddenly falls in love with a human named Olivia, the actress playing Hermia.

However, another problem takes the form of Will Hays, the motion-picture censor who wrote the prudishly restrictive Hays Code and who is emphatically against what he regards as a licentious script. To get even with Hays, Oberon dispatches Puck to obtain the flower that makes “man or woman madly dote/Upon the next living creature that it spots.”

When the second act begins – at a party to celebrate the first day’s filming – Ludwig’s play is in complete farce mode, with mismatched twosomes and threesomes careening across Arena’s broad stage at a manic pace.

With the aid of a spirited flower, blonde bombshells, movie moguls, and egotistic “asses” are tossed into loopy love triangles, with raucous results. The naughty magic of moviedom shines in this comedic romp.

Casts

• Hans Eckstein is the main star in this event as he plays the real Oberon. He has the perfect speech for Shakespeare’s words as he speaks various lines from the play.
• Red Concepcion plays Puck like a British punk star. He is delightful with his speech inflections and jaunty movements on stage.
• Robie Zialcita brings both vision and reality to Max Reinhardt. His nervous fits as a European director trying to helm an American movie are par excellence.
• Arnel Carrion is spot on as Jack Warner. He portrays the man with the right amount of skepticism and hounding, yet is meek and mild with his brothers and his movie star bimbo girlfriend.
• Caisa Borromeo plays the new young actress from the midwest, Olivia, with appropriate sincerity.
• Cris Villonco plays Lydia like a true Hollywood blonde bimbo, destined only to play in sexual films. Her recitation of the Bard’s word backwards is going to be a howl with the audience.
• Miguel Faustmann is a hilarious Will Hayes.
• Joy Virata is the very beautiful Louella Parsons.
• Reuben Uy does a fine job as the loveable Dick Powell using some of the mannerisms that Powell used in the early Warner films.
• Topper Fabregas plays Jack Warner’s yes man Daryl perfectly, bowing and scraping before the great man.
• Rem Zamora plays a good Cagney.
• Nic Campos is Joe E. Brown. He looks like the famous ’30s comedian and he has all of the mannerisms down pat.

Why You Should Watch It

This production play was awarded for Best New Play by the Helen Hayes Award in the year 2004. This is a must see farce full of humor, jokes and pure pandemonium.

Director

Directed by the multi talented Jaime Del Mundo who has brought together a whole cast of characters who will bring us to the comedic world of “Shakespeare in Hollywood”.

Date of Showing

It will be shown from April 1 – 17, 2011 with shows every Fridays and Satursdays at 8 in the evening and matinee shows on Saturdays and Sundays at 3:30 in the afternoon.

Place

Head on to Onstage, Greenbelt 1, Makati City. This is where the production play will be shown. Set your schedule and bring your family and friends, especially those who have special interests in production plays. This is also your chance to get them to appreciate comedic portrayals and productions.

Where to Get Tickets

For tickets, inquiries and other information, call Repertory Philippines at 571-6926 and 571-4941 or email info@repertory.ph. Tickets are also available at Ticketworld at 891-9999 or www.ticketworld.com.ph.

Visit www.repertory.ph, subscribe to youtube.com/repertoryphils, and add “Rep Phils” in Facebook.

“SHAKESPEARE IN HOLLYWOOD” is brought to you by the following sponsors: Ayala Malls, Business World, Ticketworld, Manila Bulletin, Her Word.com, Click the City.com, Lane Moving and Storage, Dot.ph, 105.1 Crossover, Jam 88.3 and Yehey.com.

“SHAKESPEARE IN HOLLYWOOD” is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French Limited.