What Shakespeare intended

Unrehearsed performances a throwback to original technique

Lisa Bornstein, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 23, 2007 at midnight

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It feels like renegade theater, but according to Kate Kissingford, No Holds Bard performs Shakespeare in the most old-fashioned of ways.

"We use what's called the First Folio technique, which is based on the original performance conditions of Shakespeare's play."

That means no rehearsals except for fights, music and dance. Actors are given their roles the day of performance, written on rolls (get it?) of paper that include only their lines and a few words of the preceding cue - but not the character who speaks it.

The result is played outdoors, in natural light, for free, and anything can happen. That's why, on a recent night, Lindsay Pierce served as referee, prompting missed cues and shooting a water pistol at disruptive police helicopters.

Says Kissingford: "The adrenaline is going crazy when you're unrehearsed."

This summer's plays are Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing, the latter of which was performed at Skyline Park and now tours the state.

No Holds Bard

The company has wrapped its run in Skyline Park, but there still are plenty of chances to catch the show:

• Friday: Much Ado, 4 p.m., Paonia Town Park

Saturday: Hamlet, 4 p.m., Ridgway Town Park

• Sunday: Much Ado, 4 p.m., Ouray Town Park

• Aug. 18: Much Ado, 6 p.m., Curtis Arts Center, 2349 E. Orchard Road, Greenwood Village

• Aug. 22: Hamlet, 10:30 a.m., Chaparral High School, 15655 Brookstone Drive, Parker

• Aug. 23: Much Ado, 10:30 a.m., Chaparral High School

• Cost: Free

• Information: 303-949-2642 or www.noholdsbard.com