The Show Must Go Online
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''The Show Must Go Online'' is a British
web series A web series (also known as webseries, short-form series, and web show) is a series of short scripted or non-scripted online videos, generally in episodic form, released on the Internet (i.e. World Wide Web), which first emerged in the late 1 ...
created by Robert Myles. The first episode premiered on 19 March 2020 on
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
, in direct response to the effects of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
on the theatre industry. The first series consisted of an online, weekly reading of a different
First Folio ''Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies'' is a collection of plays by William Shakespeare, commonly referred to by modern scholars as the First Folio, published in 1623, about seven years after Shakespeare's death. It is cons ...
play by
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
, in the order they were believed to have been written. ''The Show Must Go Online'' has utilised actors from all over the world, including
Jeffrey Weissman Jeffrey Weissman (born October 2, 1958) is an American actor and activist. He has appeared in dozens of motion pictures and TV shows, most notably as George McFly in ''Back to the Future Part II'' and '' III'' and as Teddy Conway in '' Pale Ri ...
, Ben Crystal,
Mark Holden Mark Ronald Holden (born 27 April 1954) is an Australian singer, actor, TV personality, record producer, songwriter, and barrister. He was a pop star in the 1970s and had four top 20 hit singles, " Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" (May 1976 ...
, Elizabeth Dennehy, Wendy Morgan, Seeta Indrani and Miguel Perez. The series won two OnComm Awards and a ONEOFF award, courtesy of The Offies. Its First Folio season ran until 18 November 2020 with subsequent shows performed bimonthly. The series concluded with
The Two Noble Kinsmen ''The Two Noble Kinsmen'' is a Jacobean tragicomedy, first published in 1634 and attributed jointly to John Fletcher and William Shakespeare. Its plot derives from "The Knight's Tale" in Geoffrey Chaucer's ''The Canterbury Tales'' (1387–140 ...
in September 2021.


Background


Original First Folio series

March 2020 saw the UK enter into a nationwide lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic. British theatre closures were announced on March 16. Robert Myles, an actor and Shakespeare aficionado who found himself out of work, created ''The Show Must Go Online'' in less than a week, in response to the widespread cancellation of jobs and contracts faced by theatrical industry professionals. Inspiration was also taken from the fact that William Shakespeare wrote many of his poems and plays when theatres were shut as a result of the plague.
King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...
was one such play written during that time. With actors and creatives in a state of lockdown when the series began, Zoom was used for both the rehearsals and the performance. The show was then live streamed through YouTube. The cast included notable professionals and also a number of amateur actors. Notable actors who were cast in the series, included British television actors such as Wendy Morgan and Seeta Indrani. Michael Bertenshaw, an actor with the
Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, Stratf ...
, was also in several episodes. Ben Crystal, an actor noted for both his performances in Shakespeare's plays, and also his series of books on Shakespeare, played the titular role in
Timon of Athens ''The Life of Tymon of Athens'', often shortened to ''Timon of Athens'', is a play written by William Shakespeare and likely also Thomas Middleton in about 1606. It was published in the ''First Folio'' in 1623. Timon of Athens (person), Timon ...
performing latter sections of the play in original pronunciation. The series also featured many American screen actors, including
Jeffrey Weissman Jeffrey Weissman (born October 2, 1958) is an American actor and activist. He has appeared in dozens of motion pictures and TV shows, most notably as George McFly in ''Back to the Future Part II'' and '' III'' and as Teddy Conway in '' Pale Ri ...
, Elizabeth Dennehy and Miguel Perez. As a whole, actors used in the series came from 6 of the 7 continents of the world. Each show in the series had an introduction by different guest speakers. Ben Crystal and
Simon Russell Beale Sir Simon Russell Beale (born 12 January 1961) is an English actor. He has been described by ''The Independent'' as "the greatest stage actor of his generation". He has received various accolades, including two BAFTA Awards, three Olivier Awar ...
both introduced live performances for ''The Show Must Go Online''. The original series of Shakespeare plays ran until 18 November 2020. The series followed the
First Folio ''Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies'' is a collection of plays by William Shakespeare, commonly referred to by modern scholars as the First Folio, published in 1623, about seven years after Shakespeare's death. It is cons ...
, and as such, neither
Pericles Pericles (; ; –429 BC) was a Greek statesman and general during the Golden Age of Athens. He was prominent and influential in Ancient Athenian politics, particularly between the Greco-Persian Wars and the Peloponnesian War, and was acclaimed ...
or
The Two Noble Kinsmen ''The Two Noble Kinsmen'' is a Jacobean tragicomedy, first published in 1634 and attributed jointly to John Fletcher and William Shakespeare. Its plot derives from "The Knight's Tale" in Geoffrey Chaucer's ''The Canterbury Tales'' (1387–140 ...
were included in the run.


Subsequent work

Following the conclusion of the original First Folio series, ''The Show Must Go Online'' announced a livestreamed production of ''William Shakespeare’s A Christmas Carol'', by Ian Doescher on the 19th December 2020. Moving away from the free-to-watch format of the original series, this show marked the beginning of a shift to ticketed performances. Wendy Morgan returned to the series to play the lead role of
Ebenezer Scrooge Ebenezer Scrooge () is a fictional character and the protagonist of Charles Dickens's 1843 novel, ''A Christmas Carol''. Initially a cold-hearted miser who despises Christmas, his redemption by visits from the ghost of Jacob Marley, the G ...
. This was followed by performances of Shakespeare and George Wilkins'
Pericles Pericles (; ; –429 BC) was a Greek statesman and general during the Golden Age of Athens. He was prominent and influential in Ancient Athenian politics, particularly between the Greco-Persian Wars and the Peloponnesian War, and was acclaimed ...
, and
John Lyly John Lyly (; also spelled ''Lilly'', ''Lylie'', ''Lylly''; born c. 1553/54 – buried 30 November 1606)Hunter, G. K. (2004)"Lyly, John (1554–1606)". ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 23 January 2 ...
's Gallathea in 2021,"The Show Must Go Online Announce Livestreamed Reading Of Gallathea By John Lyly With Full Cast"
''Theatre Weekly'' Retrieved 22 April 2021
with the latter production consisting of an international majority LGBTQIA+ cast. There was also a series of performances of work by
Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe ( ; Baptism, baptised 26 February 156430 May 1593), also known as Kit Marlowe, was an English playwright, poet, and translator of the Elizabethan era. Marlowe is among the most famous of the English Renaissance theatre, Eli ...
throughout the summer. The series concluded with a performance of
The Two Noble Kinsmen ''The Two Noble Kinsmen'' is a Jacobean tragicomedy, first published in 1634 and attributed jointly to John Fletcher and William Shakespeare. Its plot derives from "The Knight's Tale" in Geoffrey Chaucer's ''The Canterbury Tales'' (1387–140 ...
on 8 September 2021, before ''The Show Must Go Online'' entered a 'chrysalis' period.


Reception

The series was the recipient of two OnComm Awards, while the series was in progress. When ''The Show Must Go Online'' reached its conclusion, it was awarded a "ONEOFF" award by The Offies, in recognition of the achievements of the series during the lockdown. ''The Show Must Go Online'' was also nominated for "Digital Project of the Year" in The Stage Awards of 2022, but ultimately lost out to the
Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...
's production of ''
Romeo & Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...
''. The critical response was positive, and during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, it was praised as being the only way of experiencing 'genuinely live theatre'. In a March 2020 article for MyTheatreMates and Mind the Blog, Debbie Gilpin described the first production of ''The Show Must Go Online'' as a 'roaring success'. Reviews continued to be positive as the series progressed, with praise being given to the diversity of the casting and the success with how the plays have translated live on YouTube. Writing for the
Folger Shakespeare Library The Folger Shakespeare Library is an independent research library on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., United States. It has the world's largest collection of the printed works of William Shakespeare, and is a primary repository for rare materia ...
, Austin Tichenor wrote in September 2020 that ''The Show Must Go Online'' was particularly popular with people who are excluded from the traditional theatre-going experience because of health conditions. He also praised the fact that the performances remain permanently on YouTube, 'as a resource for future students and Shakespeare newcomers alike'."“In the brave squares”: The Show Must Go Online"
''Folger Shakespeare Library'' Retrieved 23 October 2020


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Show Must Go Online, The Television shows based on works by William Shakespeare