What Happens When You Mix Shakespeare with Gilligan’s Island?

By Seattle Mag July 27, 2012

violaandorsino-l

Wooden O’s mixing it up again this summer, this time stranding Shakespeare’s shipwrecked twins Sebastian and Viola on a happenin’, hipster spring-break island, complete with straggly palms, a motorboat and beach loungers.
Not since their beloved 2006 production of Taming of the Shrew—set in a trailer park—has the company so embraced a re-setting, or allowed itself such leeway in goofing on the sacred Shakespearean script.

Sitting in a park at twilight, wine in hand and the distant roar of motorboats in the background, this treatment of Twelfth Night really works. Here are 6 reasons why:

1. Soliloquies are so much better backed by a ukelele

2. You get to imagine a Gilligan’s Island  in which Skipper is a staggering lech

3. When combined with the play’s highbrow language (Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them), the 1960’s sufer music sounds surprisingly elegant 

4. Highest plaid pants-per-squre-inch ratio anywhere in Seattle

5. Coconut bras!

6. We finally get the answer to the age-old question: Ginger or Marianne?

Free (but bring cash donation if you can), in local parks through August 12; schedule is here.

 

Follow Us