Drunk Shakespeare Returns With "As You Like It" and Plenty of Booze

To drink or not to drink, that is the question. Well, with Drunk Shakespeare there is only one answer: drink!

Back in December last year the capital was treated to a Shakespeare performance the likes of which had never been seen before: Drunk Shakespeare. The first time round saw three sold-out performances of Midsummer Night’s Dream put on by local theater enthusiasts with a drunken twist (more on that later). Now, after some Covid related delays, Drunk Shakespeare is back with As You Like It. 

With tickets going on sale today (Aug 29) we talked to director Laurel Burns who partnered with Middle Kingdom Creatives to bring this concept to Beijing. 

Hi Lauren we’re so excited for Drunk Shakespeare to be back! Firstly, for those unfamiliar with the show could you explain the concept behind it a little bit?
The show combines two of my passions: the plays of William Shakespeare and alcoholic beverages. I was inspired by the Drunk Shakespeare Society, who produce similar shows in Chicago and New York. But our format is pretty different from the original…

A few actors names are pulled out of a hat, the lucky chosen actors must take three (or more!) shots of liquor before the show and three more during intermission! Expect hilarity and chaos to ensue while the remaining sober actors try and keep the script on track. Every show is different depending on who is drinking…

This time you’ll be performing As You Like It. Why did you choose this specific play?
Shakespeare’s plays are often viewed as some kind of academic, high culture. But I fell in love with these plays because of the relatable characters and the dirty jokes. This particular play showcases those two things perfectly. As You Like It has big themes of community and identity, and I think those themes are really relevant for our mixed culture audience here in Beijing. 

We interviewed you back in November about the previous Drunk Shakespeare performance that you directed, how are you finding directing this time round compared to the previous time?
After playing to rowdy, enthusiastic sold out audiences for all of those performances last winter, we are going into this show with a lot more confidence! We feel safe to make bold choices, because we know that our audience is willing to go on the journey with us. That acceptance is allowing us to push the limits of our creativity on this project — from the interpretation of the text to the design of the aesthetics. And the desire to out-do our last show!

Can you tell us a bit about the cast. Are they mainly people already involved in the local theater scene or do you have a lot of people new to performing?  
When casting As You Like It, I made an effort to bring on some fresh blood to shake things up a bit. We were also lucky that so many new people decided to audition this time around! We are a totally inclusive community, so we welcome anyone to audition and join our events to get in on the fun. 

The performance was originally supposed to take place back in June but was delayed due to Covid, can you tell us a bit about the journey of the show?
After the first Drunk Shakespeare, so many people asked me, “When’s the next one?!” I felt pressure to get rolling on Round Two, so I announced auditions for As You Like It in March. We had our first read-through on Apr 10 and planned to open the show in June, as a big hoorah before summer vacation.

I’m sure we all know things changed in May and June… new virus prevention measures meant no large gatherings, no social events, and a lot of isolation, which is not a world that theatre thrives in. We rehearsed when we could, but ultimately had to make the decision to postpone the show. This meant saying goodbye to some of our actors, some of whom left the country, some had new time commitments or other new conflicts. That also meant we had to find replacements for these people.

Now, we are approaching our new opening night and we’ve got a different group dynamic than when we started — but actually, that helped bring a breath of fresh air to our show which for a while felt doomed to never happen. 

You’re also involved in other areas of the local theater scene such as Beijing Improv. How has it been dealing with Covid issues as a performer in general?
Musicians, comedians, actors, all creatives have been totally stuck. The majority of us do these things as a hobby, it’s something we choose to put our time and effort into. And honestly, I need these things to have balance. We all know how isolating it can be as a foreigner in Beijing, and these activities create a sense of family. Only now are live events returning. Finally!

Do you have any other events planned for the near future?
Middle Kingdom Creatives has a lot planned for Autumn and Winter! For the Halloween season we will present Shriek Night, a haunting evening of spooky short plays. We are also hosting community events like our upcoming Theatre Club, where people can explore and learn about different elements of theatre. 

How can people get involved in future events or performances?
They can contact me on WeChat: laurelpalooza, or the Middle Kingdom Creatives WeChat account: MKCreatives. We have a thriving group chat where we announce all of our events and shows!

Drunk Shakespeare’s As You Like It will take place on Sep 16, 17, 23 and 24 at金尚 JinShang, tickets are RMB 120, scan the QR code in the poster above to purchase them.

JinShangYuan 金尚源
B1, 20 Xinyuanlixi, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新源里西里20号B1

READ: Save the Date: Join Us at Langyuan Station for the Belt & Road Food Fest, Sep 10-12

Images: courtesy of Drunk Shakespeare