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Folger Shakespeare Library / Folger Theatre
Rating Details »
Categories: Performing Arts, Museums [Edit]
201 E Capitol St SE(between N 2nd St & S C St)
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 544-7077
- Nearest Transit:
-
Capitol South (Blue, Orange)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- No
9 reviews for Folger Shakespeare Library / Folger Theatre
I recently visited the Round House Theatre where a local theater group put on a series of short one act plays. While I enjoyed the evening and I am one to support the performing arts, there was definitely a community theater vibe, a la Christopher Guest's movie "Waiting for Guffman" (http://www.imdb.com/ti...) to that performance. After attending "The Winter's Tale" at the Folger last night, I was reminded of the difference between watching professional actors ply their craft compared with local thespians.
The Folger is a small intimate space which seats about 200 people. Unfortunately my friends and I didn't get our tickets early enough so we were stuck up on the balcony, which resulted in a somewhat obstructed view and a stiff neck since we had to hunch over the wooden railing.
But physical discomfort aside, this interpretation was masterful. The set design was very clever and I especially liked the translucent screen on the stage used for scene transitions from Sicilia and Bohemia. And using a little boy to represent Mamillius as well as the bear which famously chases off and subsequently kills Antigonus at the beginning of act II, was effective as well as humorous. Even for a long play that is very dialogue heavy, the pacing was excellent and it seemed like the two hours flew by.
"The Winter's Tale" runs through March 8 and I highly recommend going since this is one of Shakespeare's plays that best understood watching as a live performance as opposed to reading.
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
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Fun exhibits and nice interior design. We went through it rather quickly. I still have to catch a show here.
I'm a big fan of the institution and the space. It's intimate and cozy and I don't think that there is one poor seat in the theatre. I recently went to see "A Winter's Tale" at the Folgers and sat in the very back in the balcony and still managed to have a wonderful experience. I would say that the space is great, but one should take in mind that despite the great ambience, the performances can still range from decent to extraordinary. It's great to peruse the rest of the building during intermission, but I think going there during your own free time would be more boring than informative.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
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Four stars for the setting, and zero stars for the performance.
A Captiol Hill Treat, surely, but if you go for the theater, it had better be good. And to the extent, it's hit and miss, we missed. As You Like It just plain stunk. I was snoring before the intermission. Embarrassed? Sort of. One would think a library and Bard museum of the caliber of the Folger would have theater to match the caliber of the collection, but not so.
The collection is phenomenal. The novelty of Shakespeare as a human and artist and writer and historian are all conveyed beautifully through the collection here, but the theater performance was just, well...yuck!
People thought this was:
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What is Folger's? It is a library. It is a theatre. It is a research center and gallery. If you are a fan of the Bard, you need to go to here. It Folger's houses the world's largest and finest collection of Shakespeare materials.
If there is one thing that makes a trip to Folger's worthwhile, it is the seventy nine (!!) the approximately 240 surviving copies of the First Folio. The First Folio is the first published collection of Shakespeare's plays.
Right now, A Midsummer Night's Dream is playing in the theatre through December. Typically, if you catch a preview performance you can save some cash on the ticket price.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
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This theatre is a real treat to have so close to home. It show not only Shakespeare, but also his contemporaries and later playwrites who were inspired by him. The setting invokes a traditional Shakespeare theatre and is fun to experience. There are author readings and various other performances.
The museum part is not extensive, but carries over the same atmostsphere. In my experience the exhibits follow the theme of the play, and are worthwhile to check out during intermission. There's a tiny gift shop too for the truely Will devoted.
People thought this was:
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I love my man Bill Shakespeare. But aside from the reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, the Folger Shakespeare Library is actually quite boring. The most worthwhile part of the tour apart from the theatre is the electronic copy of the first folio (which doesn't actually contain the entire first folio - only the front matter, and parts of "Romeo and Juliet").
The actual museum part of the building is a single hallway lined with class cases with various memorabilia on display. The research library itself is probably very useful for scholars, though it's not accessible to the general public. There is a small gift shop with pretty much what you would expect to find in a museum devoted to the Bard: editions of his plays that you can find at any bookstore, audiobooks and DVDs, stuffed Shakespeares for the kiddies (?), and some vaguely Elizabethan-looking jewelry and knick-knacks. Everything is thoroughly overpriced, though probably to keep the museum in operation.
Performances at the theatre range from uncomfortably amateur to brilliant. It really depends on who is performing. Do your research before buying tickets. Worth a shot if you love Shakespeare.
People thought this was:
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Ditto Gayle, this is a vastly overlooked cultural institution of Washington.
My fiance and I have been season ticket holder nearly since we moved to Capitol Hill 7 years ago. This may be the best intimate theater space in Washington. I always feel like a part of the production. The season is usual three plays, two by the Bard, often with very different interpretations. They third is often a modern playwright who has depth and humor like Shakespeare.
You can often find discounted tickets at ticket place, or online with them.
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I love the theater here, with Game of Love and Chance and Macbeth both being outstanding memories. Don't sit on the balcony though, they say the view isn't obstructed, but we had trouble seeing from up there. and the thick railing is in your way if you aren't tall.
People thought this was:
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