Northlight Theatre stages The Book of Will in Evanston
Lauren Gunderson's The Book of Will lands at Northlight Theatre with a moving tribute to the friends who preserved Shakespeare's legacy. Set in 1623, the play follows a ragtag group of actors who race to compile the First Folio after a fire at the Globe Theatre leaves manuscripts at risk of disappearing forever.
Northlight's production captures both the urgency of that historical moment and the warmth of the friendships that made preservation possible. The Evanston company brings its signature intimacy to a script that balances scholarly detail with emotional generosity.
The historical backdrop
In 1623, seven years after William Shakespeare's death, his fellow actors John Heminges and Henry Condell undertook what might be the most important publishing project in English literature. Without the First Folio, roughly half of Shakespeare's plays, including Macbeth, The Tempest, and Julius Caesar, would have vanished from the stage. Gunderson dramatizes this race against loss, showing how grieving friends became determined archivists.
The play operates on two levels: as a historical drama about early modern publishing and as a meditation on why certain stories deserve to survive. Northlight's production leans into both, using the intimacy of their space to make seventeenth-century London feel immediate rather than academic.
The Northlight production's vision
The director guides the ensemble with a steady hand, allowing the collective energy of the cast to take center stage. Northlight's thrust configuration proves ideal for the material, putting audience members close enough to see the ink on the actors' fingers as they copy out the manuscripts. This proximity transforms the act of preservation into something visceral rather than merely intellectual.
The design team has created a warm, candlelit world that feels both authentic and theatrical. Costumes suggest the Jacobean period without becoming museum pieces, and the set shifts fluidly from the Blackfriars Theatre to a printing house to a pub where the actors gather to drink and reminisce. Lighting choices emphasize the warmth of collaboration over the drama of crisis.
Cast highlights and performances
The ensemble delivers strong work across the board, with several standouts worth mentioning. The actors playing Heminges and Condell anchor the production, their friendship providing the emotional through-line. Supporting players bring vivid life to the various actors, printers, and rivals who populate the world of the play.
A particular strength is the way the cast handles Gunderson's more playful moments. The play includes Shakespearean rehearsals and behind-the-scenes banter, and the Northlight performers lean into the theatricality without undermining the stakes. The result is a production that trusts its audience to hold both laughter and grief in the same breath.
Themes of legacy and friendship
At its core, The Book of Will asks what we owe to the artists who came before us. The characters understand that Shakespeare's words matter not just as literature but as living performance. Their determination to see the Folio through speaks to anyone who has ever championed a cause larger than themselves.
This theme resonates particularly in Australia, where companies like Bell Shakespeare in Sydney have spent decades keeping the playwright's work alive for new generations. The Australian theater community has long understood the fragility of artistic legacy, especially when funding priorities shift or cultural winds change direction.
Why Australian audiences will connect
Australian theatergoers may find deep meaning in the struggles depicted onstage. Across cities like Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, regional companies face similar pressures: preserving classic texts while making them relevant to contemporary audiences. The play's celebration of collaborative effort mirrors the way Australian ensembles, from the Sydney Theatre Company to smaller outfits in Adelaide, band together to sustain the art form.
Under Australian copyright law, works enter the public domain seventy years after the author's death, which means Shakespeare's plays remain freely available for adaptation. This legal framework has allowed Australian theater makers to reinterpret the Bard without licensing fees, and Gunderson's play benefits from that same open cultural inheritance. Local companies frequently use public domain status as a springboard for bold new productions.
Comparing recent productions
Several theaters have staged The Book of Will since its premiere, each bringing distinct strengths to the material.
| Production | Director | Key strength | Notable choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northlight Theatre | Ensemble-led | Warmth and intimacy | Thrust staging |
| Original 2017 premiere | Davis McCallum | Emotional clarity | Period-accurate design |
| Denver Center | Kenny Leon | Star-driven pacing | Broadway-style scale |
| Hypothetical Australian staging | TBD | Local resonance | Indigenous perspectives |
The table offers a snapshot of how different companies have approached the text, from scholarly recreations to more contemporary interpretations. Northlight's emphasis on ensemble work distinguishes it from productions that lean on individual star turns.
The lasting impact of preservation
Northlight's production arrives at a moment when questions about cultural preservation feel urgent. Just as Heminges and Condell argued that Shakespeare's plays belonged to the world, modern theater companies continue to argue for the importance of live performance in an age dominated by digital entertainment. The play reminds us that preservation requires active effort, not passive admiration.
For those interested in how American regional theaters nurture new work alongside the classics, the history of Goodman's new works legacy provides valuable context about the broader ecosystem of play development. The First Folio project was, after all, an early example of a new works program, commissioning and publishing plays that might otherwise have been lost.
Catch The Book of Will at Northlight Theatre before the run ends and experience a play that reminds us why some stories refuse to stay buried. Tickets and performance details are available through the Northlight Theatre website, and Dueling Critics will continue covering the productions that shape our theatrical landscape. Australian readers can look forward to similar explorations from Bell Shakespeare and other companies that carry the torch of theatrical preservation forward.