Why do we shy away from adaptations when it comes to the theatre? Going from stage to screen, or literary source to screen is commonly done and encouraged. We see a movie coming out we know is based off of a famous trial, or an even more famous classical story, and we rush to buy our tickets and overly expensive popcorn. But when an “adaptation” of a Shakespearean play is produced on stage people wonder, “why didn’t they just do the original?” Are we worried about over-stepping our mark on these already great works of art? Have they already said in their original text all that needs to be said, or can we discover something new, something relevant to our times? When I think of all the shows I have seen growing up in a Canadian city with a lively theatre culture, I can name only a handful of shows which have been called “adaptations.” Now there is something to be said for authenticity, for seeing the play the way the original Playwright imagined, or at least as accurate to that interpretation as we can muster. But I think, and here I am speaking for Canadians, or realistically theatre going Canadians, that we are missing something when we dismiss all plays that are not completely “original.” These reincarnations of Chekhov, or Poe, could be beautiful masterpieces in and of themselves, which not only hold onto the original themes of the script or writing, but also bring to light new meaning and freshness to a potentially over done performance of The Seagull, or The Raven. Linda Hucheon in Creators and Critics on Adapting states that adaptions can create multiple reinterpretations in new contexts and can also ask the audience to reconsider their position on a famous piece of theatre. Likewise in Performing Adaptions Hucheon’s counterparts say that adapting a play from the literary canon can create a lens to view and understand contemporary social and political issues. An adaptation done well can give new meaning to an audience who are well versed in its source text. Instead of fearing the uncertainty of an audience or critic’s reaction, we as playwrights should embrace the challenge of creating a piece of work that is equally masterful in its own interpretation of a classic piece of theatre.
Scared to Adapt?
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