King John

I’m rather obsessed with Shakespeare’s political war (aka history) plays. At the heart of these works for me is an essential question: what constitutes moral leadership and what happens to a nation state in the absence of strong moral leadership? I’m excited to be coming back to this play which was the first show that upstart crow collective ever produced back in 2006. More than fifteen years later, the play still fascinates me. What makes King John resonate particularly for me in our current historical moment, is the cynical political landscape in which it lives. The play is set in a treacherous and duplicitous world: where political and religious leaders claim the moral high ground and adopt a patriotic zeal in order to disguise their own self-interest and ambition. That all seems very resonant of contemporary American politics.

I love how the play is part biting political thriller and part juicy family drama. It’s filled with twists and turns, shifting allegiances, scheming politicians and also sibling rivalries, domineering parents and bickering in-laws. It can be caustically funny and then quite poignantly heartbreaking. It also features some of Shakespeare’s most iconic characters: Constance, Phillip the Bastard, Queen Eleanor. I’m, as always, thrilled to see a cast of powerful women and non-binary folks take the stage with confidence, dynamism, and skill as we show the world that we can be Bastards too.

—Rosa Joshi