Dubbed “The villain of Broadway” by Playbill, Tony Award® Nominee and Grammy Award® Winner Patrick Page has never shied away from exploring his dark side. Now, with this tour de force show, he turns his attention to the twisted motivation and hidden humanity at the heart of Shakespeare’s greatest villains. Moving swiftly through the Shakespeare canon, Page illuminates the playwright's ever-evolving conception of evil by delving into more than a dozen of his most wicked creations. Thrilling, biting, hilarious, and enlightening, what Page delivers is a masterclass on the most terrifying subject of them all: human nature.
Now it's true some people in the audience may have never read some of these works, or seen a version of any kind. Others may find Shakespeare intimidating or confusing. But never fear. Page will help you understand these characters. What is their motivation? What is their mindset? What was going on in Shakespeare's mind? And it's a good bet you'll leave with a curiosity to know more. It goes without saying that if you're a fan of Shakespeare, you're going to love every minute of this. You may even learn a thing or two.
You don’t have to be a Shakespeare scholar to appreciate Page’s crash course on the history of the villain. He sets the scenes up perfectly and even shares how contemporary TV shows, like Succession and The Simpsons, draw from Shakespeare’s body of work. After the show, I overheard a fellow audience member say she couldn’t wait to bring her class. It’s required watching for anyone interested in Shakespeare, psychology, worldbuilding, and performance. Shakespeare may have invented the villain, but Page sure has perfected it.
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