Equivocation at the Seattle Rep

October 28, 12:14 PMSeattle Fine Arts ExaminerSteve Clare

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Who: Seattle Repertory Theatre presents Oregon Shakespeare Festival's acclaimed new political thriller "Equivocation."

What: Hot on the heels of its smash-hit debut in Ashland, "Equivocation" marks the first time in 25 years that Oregon Shakespeare Festival will bring one of their legendary productions to Seattle. OSF Artistic Director Bill Rauch directs, and Anthony Heald ("Silence of the Lambs," "Boston Legal") has the lead role.

Where: Seattle Repertory Theatre's Bagley Wright Theatre.

When: November 18 - December 13, 2009 (Previews: November 18, 19, 20, 21; Opening Night: Sunday, November 22)



And here's their description ...

Seattle Repertory Theatre presents Oregon Shakespeare Festival's acclaimed new political thriller "Equivocation" for a limited engagement Nov. 18-Dec. 13, 2009 in the Bagley Wright Theatre. Hot on the heels of its smash-hit debut in Ashland, "Equivocation" marks the first time in 25 years that Oregon Shakespeare Festival will bring one of their legendary productions to Seattle.

This is the only chance to see "Equivocation"—with the same stellar cast, under the direction of OSF Artistic Director Bill Rauch—right here in Seattle. Tickets are available through the Seattle Rep box office at (206) 443-2222 as well as online at www.seattlerep.org.

The "rich, thought-provoking and multifaceted work" (The Oregonian) blends fact and fiction into a stirring drama about just what it means to tell the truth. When William Shakespeare is commissioned to write a play about a botched attempt to kill King James that amounts to a propaganda piece, he is forced to walk the fine line between speaking the truth and losing his head.

While "Equivocation" is filled with play-within-a-play moments that spotlight some of Shakespeare's most celebrated dramas—namely "Macbeth" and "King Lear"—Cain's engaging modern language keeps "Equivocation" fresh and contemporary. And the play's timely themes ensure that "Equivocation" is a work that "resonates deeply with the present." (Mail Tribune)

Following the success of "The 39 Steps," which was produced in conjunction with La Jolla Playhouse, "Equivocation" also represents Seattle Rep's continuing commitment to partnering with fellow theatre organizations throughout the nation to support new plays and bring great theatre to Seattle audiences.

"Equivocation" is directed by Oregon Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director Bill Rauch, who recently won this year's Margo Jones Award for commitment to live theatre. Playwright Bill Cain is also Father Bill Cain, a Jesuit Priest and teacher whose previous writing credits include the short lived but critically lauded television series "Nothing Sacred." The cast of six—which includes Anthony Heald ("Silence of the Lambs," "Boston Legal") as William Shakespeare— plays 20 characters.

Performance Details: Performances of "Equivocation" are at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, with 2 p.m. matinees on most Saturday and Sundays. A captioned performance will be held on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. There is an audio-described performance on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. and an American Sign Language (ASL)-interpreted performance on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. Post-play discussions will be held after the performances on Sunday, Nov. 29 at 2 p.m.; Thursday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m.