Shakespeare with a twist
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Photo by Steve Zylius
New Swan’s summer festival reimagines ‘Romeo & Juliet’ and ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ through distinctly 20th-century American settings
As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, audiences at UC Irvine’s New Swan Shakespeare Festival will experience the Bard through two uniquely American stories: a Depression-era “Romeo & Juliet” and a 1950s Southern California surf musical inspired by “The Merry Wives of Windsor.”
The productions reflect what has become New Swan’s signature approach over the past 14 years – honoring Shakespeare’s language while finding fresh ways to connect classic tales with contemporary audiences.
“These stories are so compelling,” says Eli Simon, founding artistic director of the festival. “They can be situated almost anywhere, but you’ve got to have good reasons for it.”
This summer, those reasons are rooted in two iconic periods of American history and culture.
