Pulp William – Comic Mash-up of Mirth and Mayhem

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Pulp William – Comic Mash-up of Mirth and Mayhem

Take Christchurch comedy troupe The Court Jesters, mix them up with William Shakespeare, Quentin Tarantino and the insanity of NZ’s longest-running comedy show Scared Scriptless and you’ve got an improvised show of epic proportions – PULP WILLIAM.

Conceived and performed by Brendon Bennetts, Dan Bain and Javier Jarquin, this “Shakespearean crime-thriller comedy” has been aided and abetted by veteran improviser, writer and director (and previous member of The Court Jesters) Greg Cooper.

In 2008 PULP WILLIAM enjoyed a successful season at The Forge at The Court Theatre, hailed by critics and audiences alike. In 2009 the cast will travel the country, performing a short return season in Canterbury before playing Auckland as one of only two Christchurch entries in the NZ International Comedy Festival (the other being Dan Bain and Javier Jarquin’s stand-up comedy show ORPHANS OF COMEDY).

Cooper immediately saw the comic appeal of PULP WILLIAM. “It takes the style and language of Shakespeare and pumps it up with the characters and the pop-culture references of Tarantino,” says Cooper, “then ups the ante by being entirely improvised”.

For those unfamiliar with the unique insanity that is improv, Cooper is happy to explain, saying, “The cast weave seemingly random suggestions together, spouting Shakespearean verse all the way. Like Pulp Fiction, the narrative might not be linear - it may, for instance, flash back in time to show how one character developed an audience-suggested fear of clowns. The result is a plot with more twists than a night at Jack Rabbit Slims”.

Rehearsals have been packed with star-crossed lovers, bad-ass gangsters, Mexican stand-offs, Italian surnames, cunning plots, poison, handguns, sonnets and protracted speeches with extended metaphors. The cast call the result a “leaner, meaner, faster and funnier production than anything we’ve done before”. Those worried about bad language need not worry – all swearing is Shakespearean, so “only those fluent in 16th Century English will be offended”, adds Cooper.

Shakespeare scholars, film buffs or fans of improv comedy, PULP WILLIAM has something for everyone.

Reviewers quotes:
• “Manic madness that never missed a beat… forsooth ‘twas devilish fun” – PRESTO MAGAZINE
• “Packs enough comedy to appeal to anyone” – CANTA MAGAZINE
• “A goodly chuckle indeed” – THEATREVIEW www.theatreview.org.nz

PULP WILLIAM by The Court Jesters
Directed by: Greg Cooper
Featuring: Daniel Bain, Brendon Bennetts and Javier Jarquin
CANTERBURY TOUR
May 13; Ngaio Marsh Theatre, University of Canterbury; 7:30pm - book at Unimart
May 14; Rangiora Town Hall, Rangiora; 7:30pm - book at The Court Theatre
May 15; The Gaiety, Akaroa; 7:30pm - book at The Information Centre
May 16; The Loons, Lyttelton; 8pm - book at www.theloons.co.nz
Tickets: All Canterbury Tickets $15

NZ COMEDY FESTIVAL
May 20-23; The Transmission Room; 10pm - Book at TICKETEK (service fee will apply)
Tickets: Adults $25 / Concessions $20/ Groups $18

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