William Shakespeare has like no one else through history so precisely put the struggles of humanity into words.
In this theatre concert, dialogue and soliloquies from some of Shakespeare's most loved plays are
intertwined with iconic pop hits from the 1980's giving each other new perspectives.
Stripped of synthesizers and electronic drums, instead accompanied by a lute (lasciviously pleasing), the
songs display themes that we are familiar with from Shakespeare - love, jealousy and the ever haunting
question from Hamlet.
Music has a unique way of evoking moods and feelings. To use music in theatre is an old trick, and one that Shakespeare himself was especially keen on. Not only instrumental music to enhance the power of a scene - Ross W. Duffin has showed how The King's Men exploited songs from the street in many ways to make the audience engage and connect emotionally.
The popular tunes of the 80's might still be considered shallow. But rubbing shoulders with Shakespeare's immortal texts, they stand out in a new luster and often with an unexpected twist.
Texts from Shakespeare's Hamlet, Othello, The Winter's Tale, Macbeth and other plays
Music by Alphaville, Roxette, Whitney Houston, Prince and other iconic artists
Performance duration: 65 min
Created by Niklas Atterhall & Malin Sternbrink
On stage and touring: Malin Sternbrink & Niklas Atterhall
Photo: Nicklas Lind
Absolute Shakespeare opened in Stockholm in March 2023 and has played at the City Theatre in Stockholm and at the Craiova International Shakespeare Festival in Romania and the Verona Shakespeare Fringe Festival in Italy.
Listen to us here
Why this mix?
Music has a unique way of evoking moods and feelings. To use music in theatre is an old trick, and one that Shakespeare himself was especially keen on. Not only instrumental music to enhance the power of a scene - Ross W. Duffin has showed how The King's Men exploited popular tunes in many ways to make the audience engage and connect emotionally.
We are sure that those who held their sweetheart for the first time while the band played Dream a Little Dream of Me at their school prom will get Juliet's thrill on a deeper level as the song precedes the balcony scene in our show.
At the same time Shakespeare's wit will enlarge the scope of the music. The popular tunes of the 40's and 50's might still be considered bland or common. But rubbing shoulders with Shakespeare's immortal texts, they stand out in a new luster and often with an unexpected twist.
And at last, when our revels are ended, we hope that this star-crossed match will make you marvel at the timelessness of the matters dealt with – love, the courtship and the bickering, the euphoria and heartache. And the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to.
Else the Puck a liar call!
