Why New York? Part Two: Everything is Bigger

As these photographs, taken recently by my friend, iaeden hovorka attest, everything in New York is bigger, even the birds!

Why New York? Part One: A Once in a Lifetime Lear

Thursday I went down to Battery Park to see the New York Classical Theatre's production of King Lear. The production had been playing across the street from me at Central Park for the past several weeks and I had wanted to go see it, but rainy nights or other commitments had kept me from making the journey. By the time I was ready to attend this FREE production, it had moved several miles downtown, to the very tip of Manhattan.

The instructions on New York Classical Theatre website indicated that the audience should meet at 7PM at Castle Clinton, which I recalled was an old-style fort, and the place where one goes to purchase tickets to see The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I left my apartment quite early, as I had not visited Battery Park since my first visit to New York in 2007. Weather reports on-line had indicated that there might be short bursts of nasty weather, but that otherwise, the night would be mild. Perfect weather, I thought, for an evening of Shakespeare. But just in case, I too along with me an umbrella and a jacket, as it had rained earlier in the day.

Arriving at about 6:15, I checked out the Park, which besides Castle Clinton, boasts several statues and memorials, including the Sphere which stood at the site of the World Trade Center, and survived the collapse of the towers. About twenty minutes prior to the play, I stood outside the fort, along with about 50-75 or so others, waiting for the show to begin. And then it began to rain. I took out my umbrella, glad that I had brought it. And then it began to rain harder. The man in charge, who turned out to be the director of the play, Stephen Burdman, invited us into Castle Clinton, which was closed for the day, where we could wait out the storm. He promised it would be a short wait.

About a half hour later, Mr. Burdman announced that the grassy area where they usually performed was a soaking mess, and they had arranged for this evening's performance to occur in Castle Clinton itself, once the rain had stopped. This production would be slightly different than the typical New York Classical Theater production, in that it would be played in one spot, rather moving from location to location. He told us that the actors were excited about performing in this unique setting. And I could tell by the responses of the people around me, that they, like myself were excited as well.

Because the performance was going to be ad-hoc, prior to the actual play, the audience got to witness a rehearsal of the battle scenes, something that would usually occur behind the scenes. As the actors came out of their dressing rooms, several commented on the audience's fortitude. A few minutes later, the play began.

As Lear progressed, I was struck by what was for me, a profound insight: that Shakespeare was meant to be performed in an intimate, bare setting. There were times that I felt I was not watching a play at all, but bearing witness to actual events as they unfolded. My hats are off to New York Classical Theatre for bringing theatre back to the ground. I guess if "All the world is a stage, and the men and women merely players...", it makes sense that the audience be on stage alongside those very players, while watching a play.

There are only a couple of performances left of this production of King Lear, and I read on the New York Classical Theatre's website that a planned production of Moliere's The School for Husbands has been postponed until next year due to economic conditions. I know for certain that I will attend. I am glad I dropped a few dollars in the basket they passed after the performance, because theatre like this is unique, and experiences like this one, on a rain-soaked evening in Castle Clinton, more unique still.

(And one of the reason's I choose to make New York City my home.)