We love independent theater and the folks over at St. Louis Shakespeare have been at it for some time. Currently in their 27th season, St. Louis Shakespeare started out as a summer festival in 1984 and now presents Shakespeare plays intermingled with non-Shakespearean classics! One of the highlights of this season is Edward Bond‘s 1981 play “Restoration” which starts on Friday, August 5 and runs through Sunday, August 14 at the Grandel Theatre in the Grand Center Arts and Entertainment District of St. Louis.

“Restoration” is a modern take on classic Restoration comedies and it attempts to expose the shallowness and superficiality of Restoration playwrights like Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Oliver Goldsmith and John Vanbrugh. Like many of Bond’s early 80s plays, “Restoration” was influenced by the profound social changes that were taking place in England due to the rise in power of Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Party. The play attempts to show an underclass that struggles and slaves to support a tiny majority of vain aristocrats through the story of a servant, Bob Hedges that accepts his conviction for a murder committed by his vain, cynical and silly master, Lord Are. The portrayal of the vain, peacock clad aristocracy, obsessed with appearance is clearly just as relevant in our age of plastic surgery and celebrity-obsessed popular culture.

It’s exciting to see an independent theater company produce plays of this quality! We’re proud to be ticketing this year’s fantastic St. Louis Shakespeare season. They have a great season this year. If you’re in St. Louis or nearby, check out their full schedule, then get out there and support your local theater. You’ll be glad you did.

St. Louis Shakespeare 27th Season

“The Merry Wives of Windsor”
July 15-24, 2011
at the Grandel Theatre
Get your tickets here!

Edward Bond’s “Restoration”
August 5-14, 2011
at the Grandel Theatre
Get your tickets here!

“Henry V”
September 30-October 9, 2011
at the Grandel Theatre
Get your tickets here!

Mary Zimmerman’s “The Arabian Nights”
March 9-18, 2011
at the Black Cat Theatre
Tickets on sale soon!