"We started out like Romeo and Juliet, but it ended up in tragedy." - Milhouse
"Like ‘The Simpsons,' Shakespeare was the pop culture in his day," explains Rick Miller, the ideaman and talent behind "MacHomer." Now in it's fourteenth year of production, "MacHomer" is a bizarre stage mash-up of Shakespeare's classic "Macbeth," as voiced by the characters from "The Simpsons." And by voiced, we mean Miller, a Canadian actor/comic with a dynamic vocal range, does the whole thing himself.
Born out of a Fringe Festival production back in '95, "MacHomer" comes to New York for the first time in its full glory at the Highline Ballroom from March 1-2. We spoke with Miller about not getting sued by Matt Groening, the tragic depth of Barney Gumble, Troy McClure's other, less famous Shakespearian roles and why "Bohemian Rhapsody" brings it all together.
Why'd it take so long to come here? It's been 14 years.
We did a really early version of "MacHomer" at the Fringe Festival back in '95, I think. We were scheduled to play the New Victory Theater, but all of these rights questions arose. But now, we've had so much success elsewhere that we decided to take the plunge. It's a big financial investment coming up here, and there's a lot of shows closing. Still, I thought this might the odd little event that pulls it off.
Since you mentioned it, I was going to ask if you had the rights to use these characters...
When I started, it was kind of under the radar. Then I called Fox to ask permission, and they saw this Canadian doing a gonzo little show, and they just kind of turned their head. But after we did the Edinburgh Festival and did well, I meet up with Matt Groening and his agent. Matt thought it was clever. They never endorsed the show officially, because that would open the door to other people using their material. But they were very generous, and I let them know what I'm doing.
How has the show changed over 14 years?
The first version was ten minutes long and was done with hand puppets. Then I started adding more smoke, lights and media. It's a good way to sustain the one-joke concept (laughs).
Do you have a favorite character?
I love Mr. Burns playing King Duncan. He's usually played so genteel. And Barney as Macduff. Halfway through, his family gets slaughtered; it's a tragic character. And Barney fits; I remember one "Simpsons" episode where he made an art film, quoted Othello and discussed his alcoholism. He has this line: "Don't cry for me, I'm already dead." That's why I love the show; the characters are pathetic and ridiculous, but they have a tragic depth.
What's your crowd like?
In Washington, it was a young theater crowd. In Tallahassee, it was more of a college crowd, or families who come with teenagers who hate Shakespeare. Everyone has a connection with the source materials, and has a strong feeling for one or the other. I think this is also a good way to open up Shakespeare for kids; it's more appropriate and entertaining than learning it in a classroom.
How did this start?
I was in a production of Macbeth in 1994, playing Murderer #2. I only had like six lines, so I had a lot of time on my hands. At the cast party, I just started doing it as a joke...and it went from there. I noticed that a lot of shows have done this now - there's a one-man Star Wars show, for instance. But this was never about just me doing voices; it was about transplanting pop culture into high art...and, actually, Shakespeare used to be pop culture.
Can you think of any other lowbrow/highbrow combos that would work?
We have a couple of jokes in the show; Troy McClure saying "you remember me from such shows as ‘Othell-d'oh!' and "Mmmmm...Hamlet." But I don't want to be the guy known for doing the Simpsons doing Shakespeare.
You might be more famous for singing "Bohemian Rhapsody" in 25 different voices.
That's actually our forced encore. It's gratuitous and fun, and a way to shake off all the Shakespeare and Simpsons references.
You have a show coming to the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2009. It's a nine-hour play...that's quite ambitious.
I worked with this ambitious director named Robert Lepage; we had worked with Peter Gabriel and he had introduced me to this whole other world of art and theater. We did three other plays and a movie together. The nine-hour play, "Lipsynch," features nine actors over nine hours, with interconnecting stories, all woven around the human voice. It's very removed from "MacHomer."
But nine hours?
Well, it's extremely accessible and funny, and it flows. And it's not really nine; we broke up the show with four breaks and another one for dinner. So it's more like six and a half. And I'm not on stage the whole time; I wouldn't want to put anyone through nine hours of me.
