Today, April 23, is William Shakespeare's birthday, and whether you believe he was the author of those treasured 37 plays or a front for an embarrassed aristocrat, whether these pieces were penned by one man or many, by Sir Francis Bacon or Queen Elizabeth herself, there's no denying that these texts were composed in times of turmoil. (We’ll happily argue authorship with anyone who’s inclined, but we’ll just say we definitely don’t fall on the side of Bacon.)
Without the medical advantage of vaccines, the Bubonic Plague ravaged London three times in less than 15 years, closing theatres and other public gathering spaces each time. Some of the most beloved works in the theatrical canon were written while theaters were shuttered. King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra- works that are still performed constantly more than 400 years later in an effort to do justice to the poetry and lyricism of the language- are all likely to have been written while Shakespeare was "sheltering in place".
We miss seeing YOU and all the members of We Players' extended family in person, but look forward to the time when it is safe to gather. We ground and calm ourselves with the thought of one day soon sharing the same physical space again to create work that strives to speak to the human condition. We're looking forward to the art that comes out of this era, the catharsis to be had in characters who reflect our grief back to us, and the renewed appreciation for the simple joy of joining together in artistic communion.
In the meantime, let's cut a slice of virtual birthday cake! And raise a glass to Will and to the very human impulse, in times of crisis, to create.