I’ll admit that I was pretty pumped to see this show. An Elizabethan Pulp Fiction? Bring it on! Unfortunately, I was disappointed to discover it was only the stable boy’s fastest and strongest one-trick pony.
Pulp Fiction is a film driven by its characters and relationships whereas Bard Fiction is driven by the idea that things sound funny when spoken all ol’ timey. Granted, there’s a lot of mileage to be had and they do get it to good effect, but there’s a missed opportunity to parody more than just the language. Show me some ridiculous 16th century sexual tension between Vincent and Mia, Yolanda and Ringo’s manic desperation, the contrast between Vincent’s cool and Jules’ self-righteousness. Don’t just stand there and let the text do all the work; translate what actually made the film so dynamic and defining.
Yes, it’s the Fringe and yes, it’s a parody and yes, I’m taking it too seriously — but I still left the theater terribly disappointed. Not for what it was, but for what it could have been.
Ryan
