Reviews of '[gay] Cymbeline'

Rachel Messbauer
Feb 23, 2017
2 min read

DC Theatre Scene (4 stars):

"Unlike some other recent Shakespearian productions involving playing with gender—which have been criticized for not using this tool to truly complicate the work they’re doing or even adding in elements of misogyny to the text—Cymbeline actually benefits from its queering...The tagline for [gay] Cymbeline is #MakeShakespeareGayAgain, but what Theatre Prometheus has actually done is to create a fresher and more enjoyable version of this classic play."

- John Bavoso

Read the full review here: [gay] Cymbeline from Theatre Prometheus (review)

DC Metro Theater Arts:

"[The direction, acting, performance style, and stage arts [are] utterly beguiling... Suffice it to say, it had me enthralled throughout."

- John Stoltenberg

Read the full review here: Review: ‘[gay] Cymbeline’ at Theatre Prometheus

BroadwayWorld:

"The ensemble, aptly directed by Tracey Erbacher, is really outstanding... The decision to cast a woman in the role of Posthumus is a revelation. Suddenly, Shakespeare's silly comedy has real political bite... The gender-blind casting that follows allows other women to turn in star performances in roles that would have otherwise been closed to them."

- Hannah Landsberger

Read the full review here: BWW Review: [GAY] CYMBELINE at Theatre Prometheus

DCist (4.5 stars):

"The performers luxuriate in the Bard's linguistic dance routines, and everyone involved operates on a high level...[The production] breathe[s] vital new life into one of Shakespeare's less celebrated works."

- Dominic Griffin

Read the full review here: '[gay] Cymbeline' Queers An Unsung Shakespeare Comedy

TheatreBloom (4.5 stars):

"This evocative approach to [Cymbeline] presents a topical relevance to our political world at large, carefully examining relationships and love as well as investigating the dynamics of war, tragedy, farce, and comedy, all in one tightly-wound, action-packed, and exceptionally accessible performance."

- Amanda N. Gunther

Read the full review here: [gay] Cymbeline at Theatre Prometheus

MetroWeekly Profile:

"'If you can get somebody in a room to see somebody live and love within the context of a story,' says Erbacher, 'it makes it so much harder to ‘other’ that group of people.'"

- Doug Rule