By Anoka Latchmiah
Cape Town’s renowned theatre company, Baked Shakespeare takes centre stage at the National Arts Festival, captivating audiences with their memorable approach to classical theatre.
The group of highly trained professional actors are making waves in the theatrical world, offering a one-of-a-kind experience that fuses the timeless works of Shakespeare with the exhilarating effects of cannabis.
Following their debut Festival performance of As You Like It on Tuesday night, the cast was thrilled by the audience’s enthusiastic response and felt that their innovative concept was well-received. The energy in the room was palpable, with laughter, applause, and infectious giggling resonating throughout the Monument.
Baked Shakespeare’s performance provides a refreshing and interactive twist to the traditional theatrical experience. As the audience settles into their seats, they are greeted by a curious sight: a prominent cannabis bong, cards reading “FIE!”, and a bottle of whisky perched at the corner of the stage. This unusual arrangement of props sets the tone for an evening of familiar theatrical magic told in a brand-new way.
Throughout the play, the audience actively engages in the performance. We are given the unique power to determine which actors must pause – sometimes mid-scene – and indulge in a ‘”baked’” interlude. Their altered connection with the characters (and us), while the story continues to unfold, is a joy to witness. From forgotten lines and uncontrollable bursts of laughter, to soliloquies delivered with heavy eye-lids and goofy grins, the performance enters a hilariously altered state.
Julliet Rose-Innes, director of the Baked Shakespeare, shares that “From a directorial standpoint, I think the main thing is kind of fostering the community with the actors”. This is seen in the spirit they embody on and off-stage.
The incorporation of cannabis and its heady effects within the performance, whilst seamlessly blending the rich language and complex emotions of Shakespeare’s plays, sets this play apart from the rest and is a novel way of bringing new audiences to the theatre.
Baked Shakespeare presents: As You Like It is on at the Rehearsal Room, Monument, until 1 July.
