The theatres are dark as a result of Coronavirus. The loss of live theatre feels devastating to both stage artists and devoted audience members. Theatres are adapting to this extraordinary shift in varying ways. Until we can share this sacred communal space again, Virtual Readings, Zoom productions, Podcasts, and Webinars are filling this temporary void.

The Bedlam Theatre Company of NYC, known for “creating works of theatre that reinvigorates traditional form,” continues to make exciting art despite the limitations of the Pandemic.

Bedlam was founded in 2012, presenting George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan “on a shoestring budget with four actors playing over twenty-five characters.” Committed to the “immediacy of the relationship between actor and audience,” Bedlam has won two Irene Awards, two off-Broadway Alliance Awards, and an Obie Grant. The Wall Street Journal noted Eric Tucker (Artistic Director) “Director of the Year” in 2014.

I had the great fortune of interviewing Eric Tucker about Bedlam’s latest project – Bedlam: The Series. Bedlam: The Series is an “episodic Shakespearean new media production” written by Eric Tucker and Musa Gurnis and directed by Tucker. Described as a “mash-up that twists together the characters and plots of King Lear, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Merchant of Venice, (and more),” the story will unfold over eight episodes. The Series will most likely be available in Spring 2021 (although the release date is subject to change due to the Pandemic).

As a self-proclaimed Bedlam fan, I read all about The Series on Bedlam’s website. The Series aims to introduce audiences to Shakespeare “as he has never been experienced before.”

Kate: I was struck by the word “experience.” Can you speak more about that particular word choice?

Eric: If done well, theatre, film, and television, should get people on a visceral level. They should feel that story’s impact in their bodies. Good art tends to stay with you long after the story ends.

Kate: How will this Series speak to both Shakespeare enthusiasts and Shakespeare newcomers?

Eric: It is my hope that those familiar with Shakespeare will find this series intriguing, surprising, and leave them with this sense of glee. For those new to Shakespeare, I hope this series, set in the world of a crime drama, will convince them that Shakespeare is accessible, exciting, and still speaks to modern times.

Kate: How many actors and crewmembers comprise the Series?

Eric: Thirty actors, and about twenty to thirty crewmembers

Kate: Where was The Series shot?

Eric: The Series was shot in fifty locations – the main settings being Sunnyside, Queens, and Newburgh, which is a city in the Hudson Valley.

Kate: What was it like filming during Covid?

Eric: The cast and crew were tested very regularly for Covid. It was stressful, but we needed to keep everyone involved in the project safe.

Kate: Describe your personal writing process in terms of “mash-ups.” For example, why did you choose King Lear and The Merry Wives of Windsor to tell this new and bold story?

Eric: I adapted and directed The Merry Wives of Windsor at The Two River Theatre with only three actors set in a motel room. The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedy, but it’s also a play about trickery and meanness. Everyone has their own personal agenda. I’ve always wanted to direct Merry Wives as a funny play, but with definite dark undertones. Regarding King Lear, it has always been a dream of mine to direct a two-part (six hour) King Lear.

A theatre in Pennsylvania was interested in Bedlam performing King Lear, but we were given two weeks to rehearse. Because of that condensed rehearsal time, I decided to re-work and trim the script down to 90 minutes. Company Member, Zuzanna Szadkowski, played Linda “King” Lear. I thought she was fierce and dynamic in the role. She came to rehearsals wearing fancy coats over casual attire. Her very wardrobe conveyed the essence of King Lear (a King of England who goes mad). As we rehearsed, a new Lear was born.

Taken from Bedlam’s website, here is Bedlam: The Series’ Premise:

Small time crime boss, Linda “King Lear,” needs to retire due to terminal illness. Lear divides the business among her three children. Daughters Regan and Goneril, blinded by ambition, betray their mother. Lear’s favorite daughter, Cordelia, disowned by Lear, runs away with a rival crime lord named France. Lear’s main lieutenants are steeped in domestic discord as Frank Ford is convinced his wife, Alice, is having intimate relations with Lear’s drinking buddy Falstaff. George Page’s daughter, Anne, and his illegitimate son, Edgar, are up to their own trickeries. “The rest is BEDLAM.”

Kate: What type of theatre will you crave to see once we can safely engage with live theatre again?

Eric: I hope we learned valuable lessons during this trying time. I feel we took things for granted – seemingly simple things like leaving the house and gathering in public spaces. The brutal murder of George Floyd as a result of police brutality taught us that white privilege exists and we need to fight systemic racism. I want to see meaningful stories emerge from this time. True art does not have to be led by commerce.

I applaud Bedlam for “reinvigorating traditional forms,” proving that Shakespeare is still exciting, thrilling, and very much in touch with the human condition.

Experiencing Shakespeare with Bedlam Theatre Company

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