Shakespeare Reimagined: Orlando

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A virtual discussion of Sally Potter’s sumptuous fantasy, with set and costume designer David Zinn, arts writer Terry Bryne, and guests from the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, moderated by Harold Steward, Executive Director and Cultural Strategist, The Theater Offensive.

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Based on Virginia Woolf’s 1928 classic Orlando: A Biography, filmmaker Sally Potter’s sumptuous fantasy stars a sublime Tilda Swinton as the eponymous seventeenth-century nobleman who, commanded by Queen Elizabeth I (played by legendary raconteur Quentin Crisp) to never age, voyages through four hundred years of English history, first as a man, then as a woman. The spectacular sets, breathtaking costumes (by the genius Sandy Powell), and Swinton’s androgynous performance style give captivating expression to Woolf’s text, a playful, ahead-of-its-time exploration of gender roles and fluidity that remains as fresh and surprising today as it was in the 1920s. — Criterion Collection

Register to join us for the live virtual discussion on Wednesday, April 14 at 8pm EST over Zoom, featuring guests from the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company. Admission is $10 and includes a link to the live Zoom discussion (which will run approximately 60 minutes). Please note: the Coolidge and CSC are not able to provide direct links to the film, but patrons can find out where to rent and/or stream it here.

Have any technical questions? Visit our FAQ page here.

About Shakespeare Reimagined

The plays of Shakespeare have been translated into more than 100 languages, and his timeless stories have inspired great works in many art forms. Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and the Coolidge Corner Theatre are teaming up to take an in-depth look at how some filmmakers have reimagined Shakespeare’s work to create compelling cinema that is as relevant today as it was 400 years ago.

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