Rare Accidents

(Photo credit to Linda Johnson.)

Next up on our Shakespeare tour, we have Quintessence’s Rare Accidents: Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 Abridged.  This seems to be the season of Shakespeare, but I definitely would not have expected to see this one on the docket.  But here we are, and what a ride.  Rare Accidents clocked in at around three and a half hours, whittled down from five or so, and was something unlike I’ve ever experienced before.  And I must say, for all of that, I absolutely loved that.  Getting to see a Shakespeare show that I’ve never seen before (and quite frankly, may never see again) was an absolute delight.

Shakespeare’s plays are often divided into the tragedies, the comedies, and the histories.  Henry IV is one of the histories.  Because of this, I imagine many people would be in for a bumpy ride.  The combination of Elizabethan English and not knowing English history could definitely affect watching this show.  I know the people sitting behind us were not terribly thrilled about the whole thing.  But I have to say, I’m pretty good with Shakespeare, and although I don’t know my English history that well, I thought Quintessence’s production was fantastic, and palatable.

I was definitely looking forward to this play.  It was an opportunity for something different.  For as much as I love Julius Caesar (and am looking forward to Romeo & Juliet at the Arden!), Rare Accidents is something new for me.  I know I read it at one point, but we all know reading something and seeing something played out are two completely different things…especially when it comes to Shakespeare.  I knew this wasn’t going to be a funny play.  I knew there would be a lot of death, and depression.  But that’s just sort of Shakespeare.

Even so, doing a show like this, with the length of it and depth of it was a bit risky.  And it was a risk that definitely paid off.  Even I had a little trouble with it…I had also been up since 5:40 in the morning and worked a full day.  But I have to say, I was absolutely captivated by what was happening on stage.  It was so beautifully done.  The acting was phenomenal, and I absolutely needed to just soak in every moment of it.  Even my mom, who doesn’t know Shakespeare as well as I do, enjoyed it.

Talking about the cast, they were absolutely incredible.  Almost everyone played multiple roles, and their transitions were seamless.  They worked so well as an ensemble, and they clearly trusted each other with each and every move…even the crazy fight choreography.  I loved watching them all together.  Their relationships were clear, and their intentions were clear.  I cannot imagine a better cast for Rare Accidents than what we got to see on that stage.  There were so many layers to what they were doing…interacting, fighting, getting intimate…it could really go on and on with everything they managed to bring together.  Not everyone can do Shakespeare.  Not everyone can do Shakespeare well.  This whole cast absolutely nailed it.

Although they didn’t necessarily use modern props in Rare Accidents, most of their clothing was more modern or modern inspired.  I think all these little touches really help to engage us in what we’re watching.  Henry IV was written no later than 1597 (thanks, Wikipedia!), which means there’s a lot of wiggle room for how Quintessence chose to present this show.  I felt like there was a really nice blend of the old and the new.  It definitely brought a lot to the show.  The actors captured this really well, too, and I think that made it easier to watch and understand what was going on.

The length of this show is definitely something to be addressed, but in perspective.  In three and a half hours, I got a cohesive story.  I learned about the characters, I saw what they were doing, I saw how they lived…yes, it was long.  But I didn’t find it hard or tedious to sit through.  I would like to compare this to a production based on Romeo & Juliet done at another local theatre about ten years ago.  Although that production was only about an hour and a half, I didn’t get much out of it.  It was a condensed Shakespeare that did nothing for me the way Rare Accidents did.  Length is a part of things, but you also have to look at that from all angles.

Rare Accidents was something I was elated to get to see.  Like I said above, I highly doubt I’ll ever get to see it again.  These are the plays that tend to get passed over…and I can understand why, as it really was a lot to swallow, but it was also something new.  I commend the cast of this play, as they were tackling something hard.  I commend the entire artistic team, because they made this a treat to watch as well.  There was so much beauty in this show, and I feel privileged that I got to experience it.