The Effort To Save Shakespeare's Works Comes To Life On The Stage
The world premiere of "The Book of Will" is playing at the Ricketson Theatre at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts through February 26th. For tickets and information go to "The Book of Will" page at dcpa.org
DENVER (CBS4) - "The Book of Will" is a new play about the effort to save the works of Shakespeare after his death. Written by Lauren Gunderson, the story follows two of Shakespeare's friends and actors as they gather, collate, and ultimately publish the first folio of Shakespeare's works. The Denver Center Theatre Company is premiering Gunderson's play.
"Lauren Gunderson's world premiere play, 'The Book of Will,' presented by the Denver Center Theatre Company is a treat, a warm and wonderful pleasure," said CBS4 Critic At Large Greg Moody.
We often take the works of Shakespeare for granted these days, and this is the story of why we can do that. How two friends of the bard laboriously pieced together his works from sides, bad copies, and memory, to put together the first folio, the first true collection of his work. The effort saved such works at "Twelfth Night", "Macbeth", The Tempest" and "Julius Caesar" from being lost forever.
Liam Craig and Kurt Rhoads lead a wonderful ensemble, highlighted by the work of Triney Sandoval as Richard Burbage, and Wesley Mann as William Jaggard. All working together, they take the story and the characters in wonderful directions.
"We forget sometimes how easily much of the past is lost, through fire, theft, and your mother throwing out your comic book collection. But "The Book of Will" reminds us of one of humanity's lucky breaks, when two friends decided to gather William Shakespeare's work, for all to see," Moody said. "Magnificent!"