How NYC's long-running Drunk Shakespeare has found the secret potion for success

Time Out

4 days ago

Ah, William Shakespeare. You know—he's that guy who wrote that play you didn't read in the ninth grade and watched the Leonardo DiCaprio/Claire Danes movie instead because that's basically the same thing. Or, maybe you're completely offended by that previous statement and have spent your life studying the Bard's work. No matter. If you're over the age of 21 and find yourself in New York (or Chicago, D.C., Phoenix or Houston), watching Shakespeare's tragic work get remade into a farce is for everyone. Trust me.
Drunk Shakespeare co-creator/producer David Hudson acknowledges that the idea of this show is not necessarily "new." The show's origins date back to 2014 when the show was being performed at a now-closed Midtown bar, making for an impressive run in NYC, especially at a time when some Broadway shows can't last a year. But Shakespeare's works have been performed under the influence since, like, forever. Currently running at the Ruby Theatre in Midtown, Drunk Romeo & Juliet makes sure that a potion and poison aren't the only drinks consumed throughout the play. Tickets starts at $55.
Romeo—er, Sam Adams, that is, describes the show as a "rock concert."
"I think Shakespeare is best done with a healthy amount of irreverence," Adams told Time Out New York. "If it's put up on the shelf and it's kept very pristine, it kind of loses all the juice. ... I don't think people in Shakespeare's day were taking shots in front of the audience, but there's a certain amount of taking Shakespeare off the pedestal that makes it really accessible."
Accessible is correct. Not only due to the small venue—a library-themed speakeasy that looks like more of a runway than a theater—but the audience interaction. Before they even step on stage, you'll meet the actors in the audience. These welcoming prologue performers gather information about the members of the audience to make the experience entirely personal.
"I think it creates a special experience for everybody," Hudson said, reflecting on the 11-year history of the show. "It's unique. It's not something that you experience when you go see a show at a traditional theater. I think that people, especially younger generations, were craving, and continue to crave, a different kind of experience that isn't just sitting in the dark for two hours and watching something happen on stage. They really enjoy the interactive elements of it. They enjoy getting to play a role in the show, however big or small they choose."
I think Shakespeare is best done with a healthy amount of irreverence.
The "drunken debauchery," as Hudson calls the production, is wildly entertaining. For starters, audience members are offered a generous shot upon arrival. Then, for each performance (sometimes totaling four a day), one actor from the company is pre-assigned to take four shots of their preferred drink (vodka or whiskey are popular choices) at the top of the show. An additional shot is saved for an audience member which the actor hand-selects to prove that they're actually drinking what emcee Brandon Salerno referred to as "real motherfucking alcohol" at my performance. But it doesn't end there.
Despite the challenge of acting while drunk—the buzzed performer at my show even had to lean on my friend to stay upright—the role comes with some perks. The drunk performer gets carte blanche to get, well, drunk with power. They can put their own spin on the show, directing all kinds of hijinks—like, for example, replacing swords with dildos.
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Depending on how generous (or drunk) you are, there are two thrones at the far end of the runway which are available for purchase (or auction, if no one buys them beforehand). With your purchase comes caviar, champagne, chocolate—and choices. Throne-sitters get a small bell which each Royal Highness has the power to ring at any point throughout the show, requiring that show's lucky drinker to perform whatever their heart desires. If the royalty approves, the show goes on. If not, another shot must be had. With great power comes greater drunk-ability.
The most exciting part about this facet of the show is that no two are the same. The script might remain intact, but the audience and general atmosphere have as much influence as the alcohol. "I think it is a fun and hilarious and heartfelt night out," Hudson says, and I agree wholeheartedly.
"The cast in New York and each of the cities are just truly fantastic. And I can say from experience, having seen all versions of the show over the last 11 years, thousands of times at this point, there's still something new and fun every single time I see it."