Be aware that if you stroll through Jerusalem’s Bloomfield Gardens this month, you might happen upon a group of elegantly clad performers speaking Shakespearean English.
Theater in the Rough, a Jerusalem-based theater troupe, is set to perform nine showings of Shakespeare’s As You Like It throughout August – with live music. Eight of the performances will be in motion, meaning the troupe will traverse through the gardens, requiring the audience to follow along on foot. In addition to the park performances, there will be a special seated performance at the Jerusalem Museum of Natural History on August 27 at 6 p.m.
The performances in the park do not require reservations, and are free with a suggested donation of NIS 40 per person. The seated performance is NIS 80 per person and requires reservations. To pay ahead for either performance and to make reservations, go to theaterintherough.co.il/.
Performing Shakespeare in public spaces is a tradition that theater lovers across the globe celebrate. This is the 13th time Theater in the Rough co-founders, and mother and son duo, Beth Steinberg and Natan Skop have brought Shakespeare to Bloomfield Gardens.
“When we lived in the US, before we moved, that idea that you could just happen upon some sort of theater in an unexpected space really drives a lot of what we feel is important,” Steinberg said. “That sort of surprise... to find essentially Shakespeare in the Park in Jerusalem.”
Steinberg also expressed that theater in the park is a good introduction to the Bard’s work, especially for those who are unfamiliar with it.
“People have so much fear around Shakespeare,” Steinberg said. “They say, ‘Oh, I don’t understand a word,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, you don’t have to understand. You could really just come and enjoy the spectacle.’”
Performing in the park has pros and cons. On one hand, Skop emphasized the immersive experience audience members get by following the actors and seeing them interact with the unique environment. On the other hand, the park is unpredictable and full of distractions and noises.
“You don’t have a backstage changing area,” Skop explained. “People can bother you in the middle. There can be, you know, a helicopter goes overhead and there’s a wedding nearby... then it’s kind of hard to focus or be heard.”
Despite these challenges, Steinberg emphasized the sense of magic, happenstance, and community provided by the park.
“It’s a place where Jerusalemites come together,” Steinberg said. “You see large religious families there to do photo shoots together. You see couples out on dates. You see Arab weddings with Arab brides dressed in the fanciest dresses you ever saw.”
The communal aspect of the park is something Steinberg said is “important,” especially during these times. Last year the troupe performed Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, an intense drama compared to this year’s comedy.
“It’s a tragedy. Caesar dies. There’s war and mayhem,” Steinberg said. “We weren’t going to do war and mayhem this year.”
They went with As You Like It to bring something lighter to the community in these dark times. Steinberg and Skop emphasized the silliness of the play.
“As You Like It feels like it’s about nothing,” Steinberg said. “You know, people run into the forest, there’s women dressing up as men, there’s sheep... all that kind of stupid stuff,” Steinberg said. “And yet, as always, it’s about relationships.”
Skop also describes an underlying theme of trust throughout the play and emphasizes the importance of perception.
“These layers are there for people who are interested in seeing them,” Skop said. “You can come to the show and just be like, ‘Yeah, I want to see people falling in love and doing silly things.’ That’s also good.”
Curtain call
Theater in the Rough boasts a diverse cast of actors. Though it has a core group of returning actors, it often gets new people excited to perform Shakespeare.
“We are doing theater in English in Israel, and I think it’s important for us to feel that we are reaching out to Israelis, or Hebrew-speakers, or Arabic-speakers, or whatever language that they speak,” Skop said. “They can come and enjoy the show as well, and if they can do some Shakespearean verse and speak loudly, then we’re happy to have them in the show.”
To Steinberg, Shakespeare is for everyone. She noted how the playwright’s work has lived on for hundreds of years since his death, being performed all over the world and in different languages.
“We’re all from different backgrounds,” Steinberg said. “I think there is something special about Shakespeare. If you’re a fan of Shakespeare, like you’re a fan of Shakespeare.”
Skop and Steinberg are excited to finally see the fruits of their labor. The troupe has run through 35 rehearsals. For Steinberg, one of the most exciting aspects of this performance is the live music which includes singers, a guitarist, a French horn player, and a violinist.
The Bloomfield Gardens performances will take place at 5:30 p.m. on the following dates: August 14, 15, 18, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28. The special seated performance at the Jerusalem Museum of Natural History will take place on August 27 at 6 p.m.
