Shakespeare Crackpot

Doctor Keir Co.—Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall (UofW)

Keir Cutler is back with a thought provoking monologue, this time taking on the bard himself (or should I say the illusion of the bard). This show was not what I was expecting. I did not expect to listen to a thought provoking conspiracy monologue asking the question “did Shakespeare write his own plays?” While the play does dwell on this for most of the show, the focus slowly shifts to examining our higher education system and if it really is turning us into critical thinkers. It was fascinating material that brought up a lot of good points. Cutler’s passion for his work and hilarious facial expressions make this play engaging and funny. While all this is very good there were a few points I felt myself starting to drift off in thought. This is tough to avoid in a monologue show, especially one that is an hour long. In the end I left asking myself questions I never thought I would. As a whole, Culter’s show achieved what good theatre is supposed to do. It challenged and made me reflect on ideals I once considered solid. If you go into this play with an open mind to the other side of the coin Cutler presents, then you will leave as exactly what he wants, a critical thinker.

Kaitlyn Kriss