A well meaning but gullible king. A wicked queen and her spoiled, dopey son. A courageous princess. A young lover banished by royal edict. A wager placed on a young woman's fidelity. Mistaken identities and a visit from one of the gods of Olympus.
Whew!
All that and more is included in William Shakespeare's Cymbeline — a play written toward the end of his career.
With its rather convoluted plot and complex mix of genres, Cymbeline is rarely produced compared to the Bard's more famous comedies and tragedies.
But Nicole Stodard, Artistic Director of Thinking Cap Theatre in Hollywood, saw it as the ultimate challenge.
"It's absolutely captivating because of all of its different stylistic elements," says Stodard, who fell in love with Cymbeline after catching a 2023 Royal Shakespeare Company production in Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
"It has history, it has tragedy, it has comedy, it has romance. It feels very cinematic . . . It's full of surprises for audiences."
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Thinking Cap Theatre's production of Cymbeline opens this week, capping off the theater's 15th anniversary season.
Stodard says the play is a perfect match for her company, which revels in staging bold and innovative interpretations of classic plays.
"Critics call it the 'kitchen sink play,' — that Shakespeare just had a lot of fun throwing all different types of things together in this really wildly exciting play."
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Cymbeline by William Shakespeare, Thinking Cap Theatre
WHEN: Various days and times
Friday, December 5 at 7 p.m. (Opening Night)
Saturday, December 6 at 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 7 at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, December 10 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 13 at 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 14 at 6 p.m.
(Closing Night with post-show talkback)
WHERE: Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, 1770 Monroe Street
Hollywood, FL 33020.
More information here
