I had the chance to go see "Cymbeline" this past Friday here at the Alabama Shakespeare and it was funnier than I expected from Shakespeare. Usually we're all able to divide up Shakespeare into three different groups: the histories (Shakespeare did of a bit of daydreaming during history in school), the comedies (where strange people work and even stranger events happen), and the tragedies (usually you know it's a tragedy by the body count). "Cymbeline", though, breaks this mold for an amazing theater experience.
King Cymbeline, who the play is named for, is a Celtic king in Britain during an uneasy alliance with Rome and is dealing with a few problems at court, namely his daughter marrying a lowly born but honorable and loving man. This one act of defiance sets into motion the events that brings war to King Cymbeline's court which, interestingly enough, also reunites a family separated by time and distance.
Even after seeing the show I couldn't really label it a comedy or tragedy. Every time it started leaning toward a tragedy then the characters would have a comic moment. When it started getting too funny then a character would give a line that would sober the audience and remind us of the pain experienced by trespassed love.
I was a bit worried going into the performance because I had heard that it was a bit difficult to follow and I hadn't yet read the play (don't tell!). But the plot twists and turns weren't difficult to navigate with our amazing cast leading the way and the audience was able to follow each plot reveal.
Above all "Cymbeline" was what I'd call a good story; told by one of the greatest storytellers in the world. To give some further information, here's Shanley with a back-stage look at how when one of the characters, ahem, "looses his head" over a girl, the props department makes it happen with little to no harm done to the actor.
Enjoy!
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