Threads review, mnfringe show 3: Musical Settings for Shakespeare; again, title couldn’t be more clear on this one :) workshopping random songbook for random script cuttings, great singers plus a trio, drums, bass, keyboard - 4.5 stars
Something you should know up front about the Fringe show Musical Settings for Shakespeare is that it’s not a show with a plot. It’s a songbook of compositions from Ken Takata, who did a variation on this show at last year’s Fringe and has been presenting it around town in the months before and since. His purpose here is to showcase the compositions he has created as the setting for the words of Shakespeare. In some cases, it is actual songs incorporated in Shakespeare’s plays (we got a sampling at this performance in that vein from As You Like It and Hamlet). In many cases, he has set speeches of different characters to music that were not originally intended to be songs, but Takata was drawn to their poetry and thought they made good song material. Samples of these song stylings at this performance highlighted passages from Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, Measure for Measure, plus a little more Hamlet and As You Like It text.
“The isle is full of noises…”
Each performance is different, with different songs and performers. The opening performance I attended featured the beautiful and powerful voices of Sarah Ellen Callahan and Sophie Caplin. Callahan has a rich voice reminiscent of Natalie Merchant (and one of the songs that night had a particular 10,000 Maniacs pop quality to it). Caplan is more classically trained so her voice tends more toward operatic heights. The musical styles of Takata’s compositions are all over the musical map, from jazz to power ballads to glam rock to pop and on into the American musical theater songbook, from tunes reminiscent of Rodgers and Hammerstein on up to more Sondheim-sounding present day musical styles.
“And will he not come again?”
Takata is the genial master of ceremonies, sort of a soft-spoken, absent-minded professor type, but once he gets to his keyboard, he really fills the theater space (sometimes with a piano sound, sometimes with a harpsichord sound). Last year, it was just him on keyboard, but this year he’s got a trio going, with Eric Struve on the upright bass, and Chris Hepola on drums. And these guys are professionals, just having a great time jamming with their friend Ken, and the ladies at the microphone.
“To whom should I complain?”
You could probably go back to this show for all five performances and not get the same set list twice. Takata is using this Fringe framework to test out which songs and styles work best with an audience. At a couple of junctures, we got more than one version of a song, in a different style, for the same set of lines from the Bard. You’re sort of watching creation in real time.
“There was a lover and a lass…”
It’s a free-wheeling, eclectic evening of music when you’re hanging out with these folks. Plus you get high-brow points for all the Shakespeare references. The performance isn’t structured to build to any kind of climax. They just sort of play songs until they run out of time (but they don’t run over, again, they’re pros who know what they’re doing).
“Full fathom five thy father lies…”
If you’re looking for a change of pace, to just kick back and listen to good musicians and singers present new music you’ve never heard before, Musical Settings For Shakespeare should be on your schedule. It’s not for everyone, I’m sure, but if like me, you think you might be their audience, you won’t be disappointed. (After all, I saw it last year and came back again, and watched Takata turn things up a notch.)
4.5 stars - Very Highly Recommended
Here's some handy links to coverage of shows I've seen in the Fringe this year getting 5 and 4.5 Stars (Very Highly Recommended), 4 and 3.5 Stars (Highly Recommended) as well as the shows ranking 3 stars or less; also links to this year's Top 10 list and Top 11-20 list, also a full list of all returning favorites to this year's Fringe, plus a link to ALL the 2024 Minnesota Fringe Festival coverage.
While I have your attention, please VOTE :)
Minnesota is currently in the early voting period
for our Congressional and local primaries (I had the U.S. Senate,
Congress, and the Minneapolis school board on my ballot) - final day to
vote in the primary is Tuesday, August 13th, but you don't have to wait
until Fringe is over, go vote right now :)
Early voting for the Presidential Election itself in Minnesota starts on Friday, September 20th.
We're lucky to have a lot of time to get our voices heard, so cast your
vote, and then make sure everyone you know and love is registered and
gets to the polls to vote. Election Day, your final date to vote, is Tuesday, November 5th.
As a queer playwright and theater maker, I want a government that's compassionate and competent enough to keep us all safe and healthy, keep theaters open and running, and personally, I'd just like to be legal myself and keep the weirdos out of government and out of my personal business (and the things I post on this blog, for instance). We all have our reasons, so let's make sure we get the leaders we need and deserve, and get our friends, family and co-workers to raise their voices, too.
Find where to vote and what's on your ballot (with links to candidate websites) and other resources at the Minnesota Secretary of State's website.
For other resources on how to register, volunteer or donate, locally or nationally, check out Vote Save America.
Vote. Raise your voice. We're not going back.
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