Rudy Valdez’s documentary, “Reopening Night,” takes viewers behind the scenes of “Merry Wives,” the Public Theater’s first production after the coronavirus pandemic shut down Broadway and other venues until earlier this year.
Streaming on HBO, the documentary shows how hard it is to put on a show outside amid the ever-looming threat of the coronavirus: a cast member tests positive, the weather leads to cancellations, and the set pieces are rolling. constant risk of water damage when it rains.
‘Merry Wives’, a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’, was performed last summer as part of the audience’s Shakespeare in the Park program. Set in South Harlem, the play featured an all-black cast.
So much can and does go wrong, but the most intriguing element of this production diary is the way it views the value of art at a time when the country seems to be on fire. Shakespeare is feeling “frivolous,” says one of the cast members, in the face of a national health crisis, protesting police brutality and calling for racial justice.
Interviews with cast, crew, and staff—such as playwright Jocelyn Bioh (who adapted the play), audience general manager Jeremy Adams, and “Merry Wives” director Saheem Ali—reveal complex and deep personal reasons for such devotion to the theater.
There seems to be “a gap between people of color and Shakespeare”, but many of the performers find his work ideally suited to experiments with language and the expression of different genders. “Merry Wives” is a showcase for theatrical editing possibilities.
But there’s nothing fresh about the performance, and Valdez’s inspiring tone can feel overly saccharine. Nevertheless, “Reopening Night” should bring some satisfaction to those of us who have been anxiously awaiting the return of live theater.
Reopening evening
Not judged. Running time: 1 hour 25 minutes. Check out HBO platforms.