Author: Michael Hagerty
Berkshires And The Pioneer Valley
8. Shakespeare & Company
Shakespeare & Company, based in Lenox, will be commemorating the 400th anniversary of the troupe’s namesake by bringing back Tina Packer’s highly acclaimed production of “The Merchant of Venice,”once again starring S&Co mainstay Jonathan Epstein. Ed Siegel, ARTery editor and critic at large, wrote in the Boston Globe: “It is the ingenuity, if not genius, of Tina Packer, to make a rich, compelling case for a sympathetic treatment of Shylock while staying true to the comedic dictates of the author” and that Epstein’s ” ‘Hath not a Jew’ aria, while surrounded by a mob of spitting Venetian lowlifes, is the most extraordinary moment in an always extraordinary performance.” Visit the Tina Packer Playhouse from July 2 through Aug. 21 for this performance. In addition to Shakespearian productions such as“Merchant” and “Twelfth Night” this summer, S&Co also entertains contemporary work like Lindsey Ferrentino’s “Ugly Lies the Bone,” which tells the story of a combat veteran attempting to escape her traumatic pain through an experimental video game.
Original Article: http://artery.wbur.org/2016/06/06/summer-theater-preview
