Shakespeare has always been open for interpretations from the modernized Long Beach lunacy of the Baz Luhrman’s Romeo + Juliet to Kenneth Branagh’s obsessive love of the material.
There’s so many ways to spin it.
But none are more wild, original or outlandish as 1956’s “The Forbidden Planet” staring a then very young and strangely Daniel Craig-looking Leslie Neilsen.
The film serves as essentially a re imagining of Shakespeare’s final play “The Tempest” but taking it out of the realm of magic and into the realm of 1950’s B- science fiction.
The Delta College Drama Department, under the guidance of Harvey Jordan, are taking the concept a step further with the production “Return to the Forbidden Planet.”
The play opens with an 8 p.m. show today. The run ends with a matinée show on Oct. 30.
“(Return) is a stage adaptation of the original Forbidden Planet which you know was originally ‘The Tempest,’ but we’ve taken it a step or two further,” said cast member Jacob Garcia.
The tag line for the Delta production dubs it “Shakespeare’s forgotten Rock ‘n’ Roll masterpiece.”
Rather than just stick to the film, or even the play, the drama department decided to wear the heritage from both sources on the sleeve and make the local production a rock opera utilizing songs from 1950s-era films, while using the dialogue from not only “The Tempest,” but others such Shakespeare works such as “King Lear” and “Macbeth.”
PERFORMANCES:
Friday: Oct. 21 and 28 at 8 p.m.
Saturday: Oct. 22 and 29 at 8 p.m.
Sunday: Oct. 23 and 30 at 2 p.m.
TICKETS:
Available at the Delta College Box Office.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday
Also: Open two hours prior to performance
Phone: (209) 954-5110
Prices: $14 regular admission $12 for students and seniors
