Having never gone to a play, this one was definitely a treat. I came in with no expectations, an open mind, and a beer in hand. Also tired from a long day but managed to push through, Unsure as to if I'd enjoy the play or not but given that it was paid for courtesy of FIE, it's a must go!
The production Sh*tfaced Shakespeare shown at Leicester Square Theater is an hour long version of the Merchant of Venice in which one of the performers, picked at random, drinks an unreasonable amount of alcohol before, during, and maybe even after the performance. On our night we were given a sh*tfaced Jessica, who spent most of her night talking about a sex party and exposing her "lover" Antonio. Throughout the show she was aided by an emcee and audience participation was included. Two selected guests were given a gong or horn to use at anytime during the performance if and when they thought it was getting a bit dry or that Jessica needed another drink.
Personally, I was distracted throughout the play wondering if the whole act was real or not. Unsure as to if it was the beer that I just drank, lack of sleep, or if it was just my uncertainty. Even after the play as I was waiting in the line for the restroom, I overheard that someone was friends with the actor who played Jessica and a piece of me urged to get some answers. But I held back, and carried on with my night by experiencing more of what Leicester Square had to offer.
All in all, I was impressed at how all the actors on the stage definitely knew how to do improv because of how often Jessica would get off script. Her drunk ad-libs left me laughing and rooting for her even more.
I did some research on The Merchant of Venice and it appears that most of the script didn't get lost, but there was some authenticity within the mess of a show it was. Ranging from the random sex party comments to the overall flow of the show all played a part in why it was even more fun to watch. You won't have to know the plot of the Merchant of Venice in order to know what was going on, which is what I appreciated.
Generally speaking, as the show comes to an end, you aren't quite sure what you just watched, but at least you got a good laugh! It also brought up curiosity on how real plays are. This play showed me how much respect British people have for theater. As I looked around, I noticed that everyone was so engaged and genuinely enjoying the performance. Since plays aren't so common in America, this was a good act to base my judgements off of and maybe I'll even come back to see it again! Signing off and looking forward to the many adventures we have left.
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