Shakespeare Lands on Kauai

Watching Shakespeare on a Hawaii vacation seems like an odd mix. Trust me on this one. If you’re on Kauai in February, get thee to The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) at the KAPA Rehearsal Space.

We were at the production last week and give it our top review. Three professionally trained actors take the audience on a wild two hour ride through Shakespeare’s 37 plays and 157 sonnets. The trio of Ross Martineau, Tim Evans and Mike Scarbo play all the roles and show off their comedic talent and timing with gusto.

How can it be done? Well, you perform Othello to rap, Hamlet backwards in 30 seconds, and the History plays are condensed around a football game. Martineau sheds new light on Juliet; you’ve never seen her played like this before.

This is not the Shakespeare you learned in school. What makes this production work is that the three performers can do serious Shakespeare and therefore know how to poke fun at The Bard.

This production was staged on Kauai in 2007 and played to sell-out crowds. It’s now back through March 15, but don’t wait long to buy tickets.

Performance Details

Tickets: $18 for adults and $15 for students. Call 808-246-8985 for reservations.

Directions: The KAPA Rehearsal Space is located in Puhi across from Kauai Community College and behind the Harley Davidson Store.

Theater Info: This is a rehearsal space so you’ll be sitting on the stage with the performers. If you’re in the front row, you may be called on to assist. Great news for aspiring actors.