I was fortunate to see all three of Jamie Lloyd’s Shakespeare plays in London:
“The only reason why I do theater is because, hopefully, it’s a way of learning something about myself and learning something about each other.” —Jamie Lloyd
October, 2024, to the question “where do you see your aesthetic heading?”
“I think there’s definitely color. Certainly a different energy in a life and a color and a sense of fun. Right now, I don’t want to be sharing more trauma and negativity. I just don’t think we need that. I just think a bit of love and a bit of compassion and a bit of joy I think is a good thing.” —Jamie Lloyd
Four months later, he came out with color!
My videos from the curtain call:
a full curtain call, posted online:
Don Pedro & co enter dancing to “You’ve Got to Fight for the Right to Party” = perfect camp
Mason Alexander Park as Margaret
BEATRICE What should I do with [a husband with no beard]? Dress him in my apparel and make him my waiting gentlewoman? [Margret nods enthusiastically]
He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he
that hath no beard is less than a man [to Margaret: sorry]; and he that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less
than a man, I am not for him.
Hero never looks up from her phone until she dances with Don Pedro (masked): their dancing is hypersexual, and others notice.
After the wedding scene, to her father, spitting the words defiantly: “O my father, / Prove you that any man with me conversed / At hours unmeet…”
She then watches all the interactions from beneath the table, and emerges empowered.
After she “reveals” herself and Claudio celebrates, she looks hatefully on him… then grabs him in lust. They leave stage with her wrapped around him. Does this reclaim her agency in provocative ways? Does it suggest that Hero’s decision is neither simple forgiveness nor social capitulation but a complex assertion of her own desires—problematic as they might be?
All the men except Benedick present as gender fluid, bi, hyper sexualized, constantly touching each other. Leonato and the Friar try to kiss several times but are interrupted.
Don John presents as gay, sits on Don John’s lap for the “I am a plain dealing villain” monologue. Adds, “mwa haa haa haa” and makes claw hands, experimenting with his villainy—to enthusiastic laughter
How does Don John’s outsider status shift when understood through the lens of sexual orientation in a heteronormative society?
“Tis certain I am loved of all ladies”: spoken to the crowd of 1,900, gesturing and flirting. The crowd cheers enthusiastically. Beatrice rolls her eyes…
May I be so converted and see with these eyes? I cannot tell; I think not. I will not be sworn but love may transform me to an oyster, but I’ll take my oath on it, till he have made an oyster of me, he shall never make me such a fool. One woman is fair [points to a woman in the audience and winks], yet I am well; another is wise [points and makes a cheesy, flirty finger gun] yet I am well; another virtuous, yet I am well; but till all graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace.
Beatrice bitterly mocks each of these gestures later: “But manhood is melted into curtsies [winks at woman in audience], valor into compliment [sarcastic finger gun], and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones, too…”
“you have no stomach, sigñor?” [Benedick rips open his shirt to show his six-pack]
They say the lady is fair [pause]; ’tis a truth, I can
bear them witness. And virtuous [longer pause]; ’tis so, I cannot
reprove it. And wise, but for loving me; by my troth,
it is no addition to her wit, nor no great argument of
her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her!
Benedick: Ha! “Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner.” There’s a double meaning in that. “I took no more pains for those thanks than you took pains to thank me.” That’s as much as to say “Any pains that I take for you is as easy as thanks.” If I do not take pity of her, I am a villain…I will go get her picture. [cardboard cutout of Haley Atwell in Captain America]
Hero, during gulling: No, rather I will go to Benedick / And counsel him to fight against his passion; / And truly I’ll devise some honest slanders [Beatrice: “bitch”] / To stain my cousin with.
Hero and Margaret bring out a cardboard cutout of Loki and stroke his crotch
Benedick: Gallants, I am not as I have been.
Leonato: So say I. Methinks you are sadder.
Claudio: I hope he be in love.
[Benedick says nothing, pauses, gives them the finger]