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Shakespeare with a twist: Upstart Crows turn tragedy into comedy with the help of Monty Python
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Sword fights. Dead parrots. Tragedy. Poetry.
The Upstart Crows are weaving Monty Python with Shakespeare into something completely different.
On Friday, July 12, through Sunday, July 14, the Santa Fe troupe will perform the mash-up of scenes at The Crows鈥� Nest, 7 Caliente Road, in Santa Fe. The Upstart Crows are a theater group for young people ages 10 to 18 with a focus on Shakespeare.
Shakespeare with a twist: Upstart Crows turn tragedy into comedy with the help of Monty Python
鈥淎nd now for something completely different鈥� explores classic Shakespearean themes with Monty Python skits. The Crows last performed the irreverent tapestry in 2019.
Founding director Caryl Farkas got the idea when she was attending a comedy workshop in Madison, Wisconsin. A similar group was working on scenes from Mel Brooks to learn comedic timing. Of course, they had never heard of the famed director.
鈥淏ut they did know Python,鈥� Farkas said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the most popular thing we鈥檝e ever done. You kind of brace yourself for three hours of 鈥楰ing Lear鈥� and they鈥檇 be coming out of the theater cracking up.鈥�
Farkas unraveled the common threads between the two.
鈥淐omedy makes mock of something serious, Shakespeare is 100% about our humanity, so it鈥檚 easy to find parallels,鈥� she said.
The famous 鈥淢acbeth鈥� scene with the three witches stirring the cauldron pairs with a scene from 鈥淢onty Python and the Holy Grail.鈥�
Sir Bedivere prevents a crowd from stoning a woman in a pointed hat and a carrot nose, saying, 鈥淪he turned me into a newt. I got better.鈥�
An actor performs Hamlet鈥檚 famous 鈥淭o be or not to be鈥� soliloquy to the Monty Python song 鈥淎lways Look on the Bright Side of Life鈥� from 鈥淟ife of Brian.鈥�
Farkas paired the Python鈥檚 famous 鈥淒ead Parrot鈥� sketch with a scene of Falstaff faking death and coming back to life from 鈥淗enry IV, Part 1.鈥�
鈥淥ur rehearsal name is 鈥楲ying Liars,鈥� 鈥� she said with a laugh.
The show will star a cast of eight.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e having a fabulous time,鈥� Farkas said. 鈥淭hey all seem to know 鈥楾he Holy Grail.鈥� 鈥�
