'Sofa Shakespeare' Unites Artists During Isolation
Brittany Strelluf
Unprecedented times call for unprecedented solutions.
One of these unprecedented solutions began with an ordinary Facebook post- fittingly enough- on the Ides of March, when actress and teaching artist Julia Giolzetti asked this question:
“What if people all over the world contributed 1 minute each of a Shakespeare play, and then I spliced them into one deranged performance?”
And thus, Sofa Shakespeare was born.
With the wake of the COVID-19 virus, many, many live performances were canceled or postponed. These cancellations have left thousands of artists and teaching-artists up a creek without a paddle. Giolzetti was no exception to this, “All of this paid work evaporated within 24 hours, and on Sunday the 15th I was putzing around my house in a bit of a daze because I had gone from being almost too busy to suddenly, nothing. “
“I made a post asking my friends if they wanted to try and cobble together a show. Now that we're all isolated, I thought it would be nice to see a bunch of people in their homes, telling the same story.”
The project resonated with people, within 48 hours the Facebook page has 2.2k likes and Giolzetti had received 900 submissions.
“I didn't expect to receive such a huge response, in such a small amount of time. I was not prepared for hundreds of emails pouring into my hastily created Gmail. I still haven't tried to tally it but it's now well over a thousand people waiting for spots. At some point, I just kind of stared at the computer watching the emails, and realized each one was a person who believed in this idea and wanted to be a part of it.”
In addition to the conception, Giolzetti has also produced, managed and edited the massive work. Other artists collaborated their talents on this project as well, with Robin Thompson editing the trailer and providing additional title design and editing. The adorable logo artwork was created by Samantha Lobben.
Performers are assigned a single minute of dialog and given creative freedom to perform their piece however they wish. Participants flexed their creative muscles employing pets, friends, puppets, and toys to perform across them. “We have dogs, cats, children speaking iambic pentameter, seniors, college students, parents, teachers, professors, families, puppets, Animojis, more than a few drops of alcohol, and of course, Baby Yoda.”
“Some of my favorite bits are on the cutting room floor: the moments before they start or after they finish when they look at the camera and smile, or shrug, and take a breath, or struggle to hold their laughter,” Giolzetti noted.
The resulting piecemealed videos are incredibly charming, utterly fun, and perhaps most importantly, unifying. “I've just met so many wonderful humans in the last 2 weeks, and while the circumstances of how this happened are less than ideal, I'm happy I can give both the performers and the audience that much-needed and much-missed connection.”
The future of this project looks bright, as the second production of Twelfth Night is available to watch. The Twelfth Night is featuring appearances by Mya Lixian Gosling, author of the Shakespeare webcomic Good Tickle Brain Twelfth Night Act V. Joanna Gleason and Chris Sarandon submitted a video for Twelfth Night as well. After Twelfth Night, Titus Andronicus is the next work to be explored. "I expect lots of ketchup will be involved.”
Giolzetti noted that there are enough performers interested to complete at least 3 more shows. “I will not turn anyone away and as long as this project goes on, everyone who wants to (in the world!) will have a chance to send me a minute of Shakespeare.”
Giolzetti‘s deep passion for Shakespeare is inspiring and she made connections with the work in a new way. Indeed, historic events of Shakespeare’s life parallel events in our lives now.
“I created this for anyone feeling isolated during these very isolating times. Shakespeare knows no boundaries. In Shakespeare's time, rampant infectious disease was a fact of life and he was never certain if his plays would go up or if the theatres would be shuttered. During those times when the theatres were closed, he would keep writing. Keep creating.”
“When we were forced to be apart, Shakespeare brought us together in a way I never thought possible.”
You can follow Sofa Shakespeare on Facebook and view the videos on YouTube.
“Art does not die in isolation. Shakespeare connects us.”