Let’s get Sh*t Faced

And just like that we were off on our first CineTrek! As the group was traveling to Leicester Square, I found myself thinking about why people enjoy viewing theater so much. And of all plays Shakespeare? What was it about the identities that people perform that captures the audience's attention? How could this phenomenon of this play could be translated through alcohol into something that has a divine charismatic aroma to it? How was the performance going to project an art with its already established history of culture and excellence? What was going to be necessary to capture and engage the audience through a narrative with a stimulating spin?

Shakespeare is one of the most well known English poets and authors, and his identity is still demonstrated throughout plays across the world. However, I did not know much about the Merchant of Venice, which was the romantic comedy play that we saw. After doing a little research on top of watching the play, the Merchant of Venice is about Bassanio, a young noble of Venice who wants impress the “wealthy heiress Portia of Belmont” (Royal Shakespeare Company.. my linked citation) In this anti Semitic thematic demonstration, Bassanio asks his wealthy merchant friend Antonio to help him impress Portia by loaning him money, but ends up asking a Jewish moneylender instead. 

Shit Faced Shakespeare puts a comical and modern twist on the dramatic writing of the Merchant of Venice. It lightened the mood and really added an extra aspect that made the play enjoyable and lead the audience wanting more. Audience expectation is a huge part of any sort of writing, and the environment in which a play is performed is critical to the review of those watching. When the character Jessica came out on stage, it was clear she was the actress who was shit faced. Jessica is the daughter of the Jewish Shylock who is in love with the Christian, Antonio. Jessica hates her life at her father's house, so she runs off to marry Antonio. The controversy she faces throughout the themes of the play, was not the only drama she was stirring up on stage. Her singing, facial expressions, sexual suggestions, and all out bluntness made the audience continuously giggle, and challenged the other actors to respond to her instability. By engaging the audience the way she did, it made a positive impact on our experience. I would suggest that if an audience member was not into alcohol or sexual innuendos, they wouldn’t have found the play entertaining or amusing. Fortunately for me, I do find those two aspects hilarious so it really worked for me. 

This spectacle was perfect for implementing the importance of improvisation. If the other actors or actresses were not able to improvise as well as they did, the play would not have worked. If they had gone along just finishing their lines and not responding to Jessica’s drunkness, it would have been an awkward performance and it would not have had the same impact on the audience. Not knowing what was going to come out of Jessica’s mouth made the other performers act quickly under pressure and somewhat made the play non-rehearsed. This entertaining aspect of it shows the ability of the other members of the cast to ACT on what is currently happening which can be a difficult thing to accomplish when thinking about what line must come next. 

This showing of Shakespeare called upon a piece of literature that was portrayed as a different interpretation of how many typically view the play. It pushes the typical audience member to enjoy Shakespeare in a different way but also grow an appreciation for drama/theater/art in a comedic form. This production thrives on destroying the average interpretation of Shakespeare and instead creates something that explores the boundaries of being too exploitative. 

I found that this modern twist on Shakespeare culture was a fun and creative way to reenact such a historical story. Beyond how hilarious it was, it was a great start that set the scene for the culture of British life and the enlightenment of a different society than what we all may be used to. I am looking forward to seeing what else is to come on this trip!