We Players

So far, I’ve seen three of We Players’ productions: Hamlet on Alcatraz, Odyssey on Angel Island, and most recently, Ondine at Sutro Baths. They were all amazing. This group does a great job of incorporating beautiful and interesting Bay Area backdrops into their productions, using existing landscape and architecture to pull its audience into the story, making them feel like part of the action. I highly recommend seeing any and every play that We Players put on.
Logistically, since they stage their plays in such cool spots, it is sometimes (very) important that you get there on time (e.g., there was only one ferry to take to the Alcatraz and Angel Island shows). Also, make sure you read all the important details they give you; they give good advice about what to bring and wear. I was glad to have sunglasses, sunscreen, and walking shoes on Angel Island, and equally relieved to be wearing a long warm coat at Sutro Baths. If you live in the Bay Area, then you know you have to be prepared for all sorts of weather changes.
True, the price is a bit higher than I would normally be comfortable with (~$ 80 a ticket), but their productions are great and well worth the cost.
I can’t wait until their next season. I’m excited to see what else they have in store.

Information about the show is not adequately described on the description page. I have a broken foot and can’t wander around without pain. I thought the play was seated. When i contacted them to see if there was any flexibility in their no refund policy, I was informed there was not. Now I am out $ 75 dollars for something I physically can’t see. When I am healthy again, I will actively avoid their productions. I would have rather put my money toward art I am able to enjoy or donated it to an organization that is more compassionate.

The production of Macbeth we saw at Fort Point was amazing. The cast moved us through the fort as the play unfolded, and Fort Point at night is a fantastic backdrop for Macbeth. When we saw the individual scenes we were disoriented, and surprised, and unsure, just like the characters, and so the scenes hit a lot more directly. The wind and the surf played along, and by giving us ambient noise and dark, cold passageways to move through. Highly recommended.

Badly burned.
I’m not really sure what to say about the customer service I received from this organization. I purchased tickets for «The Odyssey on Angel Island» through Eventbrite for a steep-​but-​do-​able price. Then, I missed the ferry to the island due to construction on the N line (curse you Muni!)
I called in to the main office, hoping another ferry might be possible later in the day. The woman I spoke to said no further ferry service would be available, but she very kindly offered to reschedule my tickets for another day. I was thrilled by the offer – especially as tickets are clearly listed as non-​refundable – but I suppose I was too complacent, or anyway, too trusting.
When I subsequently emailed the address given me to follow up and reschedule the tickets as promised, the office blatantly refused to honor the offer that had been made. They acted as if I were unreasonable and slightly crazed. Even when I explained, recounting the conversation and providing the name of the person I spoke to, they treated me like I was making insane demands and taking up their valuable time.
Its not that I expected special treatment. I did miss the ferry. But having made the offer of replacement tickets, I deeply resent the organization’s behavior. To my mind, its unprofessional and kind of offensive.

My family and I went and saw «Odyssey» today. I had no idea what to expect (I thought it might be about the journey of the immigrants for whom Angel Island was the immigration station) and was pretty surprised that it was based on Homer’s Odyssey.
The event (it’s more than just a performance, as it moves around the island for over five hours with scenes separated by space and time) tracked Telemachus as he pursues news of his father. Various challenges such as the Sirens, Scylla and Charibdis, and Circes are encountered and confronted by Telemachus during his journey, and the audience accompanies and witnesses his adventures.
I thought Odyssey was intriguing and thought-​provoking. I was especially struck by the scene in the quarry where the Gods stood above us and bantered about what to do with Telemachus. It was completely silent save for the actor’s voices, and it struck me that this is what it was like seeing theater at the time of the Greeks — no sound system, no electronic music, no external mechanical noises — just the wind and the voices. Very powerful.
Overall, it was a fun experience and I would definitely recommend it. I hope to see a future We Players drama.

Odyssey on Angel Island is a must-​experience event running through Nov 1.
A description is most effective if it compares something new to something familiar. There are very few such touchpoints for this event. It’s a bit like a play, a bit like a hike, a bit like a happening, and a bit like Homer’s Odyssey. A more complete description is here:
The producers had done an exceptional job of recognizing and leveraging the unique characteristics of the various old buildings, gun placements, ammunition batteries, beaches, and natural settings into scenes to support scenes from the Odyssey. Unlike a play, we the audience were totally immersed in the scenes — touching them, feeling their essence, experiencing their resonance, and even eating them in some instances.
The park service and Angel Island Conservancy had bent over backward to open up normally closed facilities. It appeared that they’d even lent the contents of a Natural History exhibit to create one of the scenes.
The actors were excellent — I’m only sorry that we didn’t get an opportunity to give them a standing ovation at the end of their extraordinary performance.
Many extraordinary scenes flip through my memories. One of the Siren scenes stands out. Imagine a huge gray 3 story barracks building, with a bright green lawn flowing out toward the horizon parallel to it. From one of the upper windows a woman with flowing long blond hair and a wispy pink shawl leans out mysteriously. A sax blows from within the building. She disappears, and then reappears in another window, dropping slips of paper. The wind blows her shawl.
I recommend refreshing your memory of the story of Homer’s Odyssey before going. One thing I didn’t understand until the end, was the pressure the production team was under to get us all back to the ferry before it left, despite our various walking speeds.

It was a dark and stormy night. Wait. Scratch that. It was day. It was freezing. It was definitely not storming. That was the night before when our friends went to see Hamlet on the Rock. I remember seeing his Facebook posting, exclaiming, «Die already, die!» It was pouring rain with thunder and lighting, so I pretty much have to give my friends a break. However, the day we went was as cold as a witch’s, well, you fill in the blank. That being said, we paid nothing and hopped the boat to see Hamlet on the Rock, well, on Alcatraz to be more precise. This production will linger in my mind for many years to come because the players acted their hearts out for their audience in a very unique theatrical setting. At times, because of the location, it was difficult to hear what the actors were bantering back and forth. But, hey, it’s Hamlet, and if you don’t know the story by now, then, well, much luck, my friend. You need to brush up on your Shakespeare. Just saying. We traversed every square inch of Alcatraz, with a scene for each location. Probably the most memorable scene took place in the building where prisoners were killed in the electric chair. Here, Ophelia played a frightening scene with feathers and wild fear, illustrating the loss of her mind and her imminent suicide. Bird cages swayed back and forth in the cold breeze of Alcatraz – and the location, the death chamber, became a larger-​than-​life metaphor. If it didn’t give the audience chills, I don’t know what would. We were happy to leave Alcatraz that day. Heck, we cut in line to get onto the boat that would take us back to the mainland. Happy to get into a warm car. Happy to be in control of our minds – unlike Hamlet and Ophelia who will forever remain locked in a prison of their own making – time and time again. And We Players? I look forward to your next production because if Hamlet was any indication of your thoughtful attention to detail, to enthusiasm, to symbolism, then you are as good as it gets in my book.

Hamlet on Alcatraz… Arguably the most exciting thing I’ve done all year! I had never heard of such a thing, or We Players, previous to attending the show. My roommate signed us up weeks in advance and come November 7^th, we were über excited to make the journey over to San Francisco. The play began immediately, on the ferry in fact, and it felt as if we were a part of it all, not just as the audience.
Despite the heavy rain and overall gloomy weather, the actors managed to put on a fantastic performance. In fact, I’d say the weather actually was a remarkable addition, however unruly; I’d imagine it to be raining in Denmark, wouldn’t you?
The play itself took place all around the island as the crowd followed. Some scenes were even performed in restricted areas of Alcatraz! Though all the actors were volunteers, I commend them on their skills seeing as this is a specifically difficult form of acting just because there is no stage, perfect lighting, and all. The one thing that caught my attention the most is the fact that a female was cast for the role of Hamlet. This was a bit shocking at first seeing as the other characters followed the gender assignments, and it wasn’t a theatre that specifically casted all females or anything like that. On a symbolic, analytical level, the more the play carried on, the more and more it made PERFECT SENSE that Hamlet was played by a woman. To spare you, I will not go into an explanation. All I’ve got to say is that she did a fantastic job!
Hamlet on Alcatraz was an amazing experience, definitely one for the books. I will forever cherish the memory of such a groundbreaking production, and look forward to discovering other wonderful outings in the Bay. Five solid stars.

I saw Hamlet on Alcatraz a couple of weeks ago (5:10pm), and was blown away! The actors were excellent, the venue was both beautiful and creepy, and the production was amazing! I have seen many, many plays in the Bay Area since moving here a few years ago, and this one tops my list of memorable experiences. The fact that the actors are volunteers makes it even more incredible. See the previous reviews for lots of great information about the play/​tickets. Don’t miss this!

I’ve never heard of We Players before, but a couple of weeks ago I saw a flyer at our local coffee shop, saying this group was performing Shakespeare’s Hamlet on Alcatraz!
Apparently, the national park service asked them to transform the island and the jail into a theater.
I love seeing Shakespeare on stage, but yesterday’s experience was so awesome, I had to come and write a review about it.
The play is done in separate scenes all around the island, with the crowd following the players to areas which are typically closed to visitors. The scary scenes, were… scary, and when Ophelia goes crazy, you were sure the actress is actually crazy…
The actors were very good, but the venue, especially at night added so much to the experience.
To top it all, the tickets are sold using a «pay as you want» model, so if you can’t really afford it, you can still go. (If you’re cheap — don’t be one — they’re all volunteers).
I’ve been in the bay area for 2 years now, and this is one of the most unique experiences me and my gf have had.
Their website is kind of weird, but tickets can be found here: