'King John' Will be Performed at the Stratford Library
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Stratford - The Hudson Shakespeare Company will perform King John at 2p.m. Saturday in the Stratford Library's amphitheater in the rear of the building.
Patrons should bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. In case of rain, the play will be presented in the library's air-conditioned Lovell Room.
Set in the early 12th century, the play is about King John, the brother of the late Richard the Lion Heart, who mounts a force against his nephew, 12-year-old Prince Arthur, the rightful heir to the throne.
Both John and Arthur are drive by their powerful mothers, Eleanor of Aquataine and Lady Constance, respectively.
Personal and family grudges translate into political alliances and famous battles that are all observed and sarcastically commented on by Richard the Bastard, the illegitimate son of Richard the Lion-Heart.
The Bastard, both in personality and birth serve as the audience guide narrating the fickle political alliances and "glorious" military engagements as they change at the drop of a hat.
Comical political grandstanding, convenient public policy changes, dubious military engagements and behind-the-scenes tragedies resonate with modern headlines as much as they did in Shakespeare's and King John's day.
Hudson Shakespeare Company was formed in 1992 and tours with outdoor Shakespear and contemporary plays for schools, libraries and other venues.
The company just finished a beach-themed production of Twelfth Night in June at the library and will conclude with an all-female Julius Caesar on Aug 23.
For more information, cal the Stratford Library Public Relations and Programming Office at 203-385-4162 or visit www.stratfordlibrary.org.
