Have you ever seen a performance of “Macbeth” or “The Tempest” and said to yourself, “Needs booze”? The members of The Drunk Shakespeare Society have. For the past 10 years, they have been performing the Bard’s plays while blotto at five U.S. cities, including (of course) New York.
On the About page of their website, they explain their M.O.:
One of [the actors] has 5 shots of whiskey and then attempts to perform a major role in a Shakespearean play. Hilarity and mayhem ensue while the four sober actors try and keep the script on track. Every show is different depending on who is drinking … and what they’re drinking!
Some readers might rightly harbor concerns about the dangers that drunkenness poses to the actors and for that matter the audience. In the hopes of assuaging those fears, the Society posts a proviso reading, “We do not condone excessive drinking. Our drunk actors are on a regular rotation system and are carefully monitored at all times. Drinking in moderation can be fun. Drinking to excess can ruin your life. We promote healthy drinking.”
Tickets for performances at The Ruby Theatre, which range in price from $35 to $45, can be purchased here.
Note that that the price of a ticket for the Valentine’s Day performance includes a glass of champagne.
The Ruby Theatre, 35 W. 39th Street.
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