Tag: London

“Friended” by Shakespeare

It all started a few decades ago as I was working in a production of Hamlet directed by James Cromwell in Los Angeles. That’s when, thanks to Jamey I realized my love for and interest in William Shakespeare. One thing led to another as happens when you follow your heart in these matters and I discovered a little known actor named Jon Sincler in Will’s company who never played any big roles but for some reason was always given special attention by Shakespeare.

A number of men in the company put them together in folio form and published them in 1623.
A number of men in the company put them together in folio form and published them in 1623.

So I created a one man play based on their relationship and what that might have been like. Over the years, I’ve added to the play as my research became deeper and more involved and now it has become a full one act, one man show. We did it last year as a reading to see how it would be received, a preview of sorts I guess and the audience really liked it. So after a trip to London to Shakespeare’s Globe and home in Stratford on Avon and much research from wise people like Andrew Gurr and Ben and David Crystal I was able to put together this story of what might have happened. To add to its authenticity the production is spoken in Original Pronunciation which is what the English language probably sounded like in Shakespeare’s London.

The Globe London

This time it’s a more fully staged one act and from after this we’ll do it as a touring production but first things first. We are at the 3rd Street Gallery in Carnegie, Monday April 18th at 7:30. I still think it’s more of an art piece than a play at this point so that’s why I chose to stage it at this beautiful gallery owned by Phillip Salvato and urged by Robert Podurgiel.

Performance

It’s so rewarding to see this man, Jon Sincler come to life and also to hear the wonderful words of William Shakespeare. I hope you can join us.