Don’t Miss Two Terrific Productions in Festival’s Last Weekend

Comment by Lia Sluyter

My husband and I went to the Shakespeare Festival last weekend. What a beautiful job those people do! I enjoyed it so much that I just have to go back again next week, to the last weekend of the festival.

We saw “The Taming of the Shrew” and also went to see “The Odd Couple”—both very good. The costumes of “The Taming of the Shrew” were just outstanding and it was so fun to have so many young people in the play.

We are very proud to have such talent in our little town and I want to thank all of them for doing such an outstanding job and bringing so much pleasure to all of us.

Comment by Patric Hedlund

This is it. The belly laughs of Neil Simon’s elegantly funny “The Odd Couple” and Shakespeare’s classic battle of the sexes, “The Taming of the Shrew,” will be playing in repertory from Thursday through Saturday this week, then it is over.

The Mountain Shakespeare Festival has once again delivered surprise and delight to local audiences. Be sure to invite your friends to join you to catch both plays while you still can. You will be glad you did.

“The Odd Couple” is written like comic clockwork. Neil Simon transforms the unlikely subject of two men confronting despair and depression following divorce into an opportunity for piercing comedy that works as a parfait of multilevel insight into human behavior.

Felix Unger (David Mack) and Oscar Madison (David Stenstrom) wrestle with self-knowledge and mutual exasperation, surrounded by a tough and lovable cadre of friends. Direction by Peter Kjenaas sparkles. Stenstrom is given an opportunity to show the intelligence behind his physical comic timing. David Mack once again offers a solid performance.

Now in their sixth year, the dedicated and talented Mountain Shakespeare group has delivered despite dramatic behind-thescenes personal struggles this year. Lost jobs, downsizing employers and even profound family medical emergencies were not enough to prevent the producers and actors from presenting a wonderful festival.

They deserve a standing ovation. I hope we will all be there to let them know how much we appreciate what they add to our lives here on the mountain.

This is part of the July 23, 2010 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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