Island Shakespeare

I am a little late to the party here, but felt I needed to Unilocal this new theatre company.
Unfortunately, I missed Island Shakespeare’s debut show, Much Ado… but was able to catch Measure for Measure this past February and it was fantastic.
To be honest, I am actually not particularly a fan of Shakespeare, but this was not your average show. I didn’t sit in some uncomfortable theatre seat listening to actors recite poetically for hours. In fact, this was a much different experience. You got to move around a church from room to room and scene to scene as the actors filled the entire space playing out the Bard’s play. Each room, chapel and even stairwells were beautifully decorated as sets that really made you feel like you were in Vienna living out the drama with everyone. You got be with the actors, stand next to them, feel their emotions… It was one of the most immersive experiences I have had.
Under the brilliant direction of Kristi Artinian, this ensemble piece just blew me away. Every single cast member were extremely talented and gave performances that were intriguing and engaging. Usually when I see a show there may be a performer or two that I don’t care for but this wasn’t the case.
Even if you weren’t following the «main» storyline, there was action all over the building and the actors stayed in character and had side storylines. I had someone pull me into an elevator alone and made me read Bible passages and was actually a drug dealer. This person turned out to be Pompey and later brought me to a whore in a restroom where I also had a very «intimate» moment with her… I also watched a drunk prisoner shackled in a corner of a small prison for what seemed like forever. He was mesmerizing and barely spoke a word except to grab me and whisper in my ear. I watched another character write a letter These are just examples of the some the amazing «extra» scenes.
Another bonus was the original music! The strings, the piano and the singer were great and added so much to the atmosphere and tension in scenes. Kudos on that!
It’s clear that Kristi knows immersive theatre and how to engage an audience. I never felt like it was too crowded or that I was missing something somewhere else. I was entertained from the minute I walked in and that energy never went away. With a show like this, you have to know how to not only direct actors, but direct your audience as well. It was fantastic.
I highly look forward to their next production!

3 dimensional interactive theater. Island Shakespeare’s rendition of «Measure for Measure» was delightfully entertaining. Rebecca Odorisio played Isabella and she gave a memorable performance. Her voice was strong and could be heard clearly from anywhere in the room, and instead of merely reciting lines she pulled out all the stops and breathed life into this character. We all felt what she was feeling. I got goosebumps she did such an amazing job. The whole cast was great but Isabella was the one I’ll remember in this show. This was the first time I experienced a play where the audience was invited inside the actor’s world and allowed to follow around as the play unfolded all over the building. I also loved that this play which deals with religious hypocrisy actually was performed in a historic church on Roosevelt Island. Thomas Kee was one of the brain childs behind this production. He made great theater accessible to the masses. I wouldn’t think twice about going to another show next time they are in town.

The winter season show was «Measure for Measure,» which I had never seen– I held off on reading it (or Wikipedia) in order to have a blank slate for the show. I was well rewarded; I think the watchword for Island Shakespeare is «clarity.» I’ve seen them use it in their press material & the word fits. While an «immersive» experience, Island Shakespeare actually gives you a faithful & intelligible performance of the play. This is in stark contrast with the inevitable comparison, Sleep No More’s more dreamlike & impressionistic Shakespeare.
«Measure for Measure» is set inside a church on Roosevelt Island– «Much Ado…» was set outside, during the summer season– & you are left largely to your own devices. You are guided to & from the action by strings– musicians, stalking the performers along with the audience– so you never need to worry if you are «missing» something in your explorations. I was pulled aside for a «one on one,» while I was totally psychologically unprepared. I was vulnerable & it was exhilarating; a nice piece of genuine actor/​audience connection.
I didn’t need to be converted; I’m already a True Believer. Island Shakespeare Forever.

Loved it! Talented, professional actors! I hope Island Shakespeare is around here for a long time!

I was delighted to have been granted some complimentary tickets to Island Shakespeare’s «Much Ado About Nothing.» Thomas Kee was one of the actors in the original production of «Sleep No More» in Boston and he’s in New York as a director of this interactive «Much Ado.»
For $ 15, you’re taken to Messina, Italy where you’ll meet a pair of lovers, Claudio & Hero (lovesick couple) and Benedick & Beatrice (bickering pair who are too proud to admit their love for each other). Like «Sleep No More» this is an interactive play where the actors go around the ampitheater, so the play takes place on the stage, in the seats with the audience, out on the lawns, and anywhere else there was open space. Although you could spend your time following the main play by following the speaking actors, there was plenty of action to watch with the minor characters. Indeed, I spent some amusing minutes watching Dogberry, the drunk constable, wrestle and roll around the grass with knaves who lied about Hero’s virtue.
Before the play started, we decided to get some refreshments. Much to our delight, they were selling flasks for $ 2, which made a very cool souvenir.
My bf was a bit dubious about seeing «Much Ado» — apparently my description of interactive and walking around did not inspire much desire in in him, but afterwards he told me that he thought it was wonderful. We both adored the actor who played Dogberry. Beatrice is one of my favorite Shakespearean characters (confession, I am her). I loved the scenes where she and Benedick sparred with witty words. I fell in love with Benedick as he revealed his revelatory emotions as he «discovered» Beatrice’s feelings for him from his gossiping friends.
Go to Roosevelt Island to see this summer Shakespeare romantic comedy.