All hail, Andrew of Fastow!

But, look, the morn, in russet mantle clad /
Walks o’er the dew on yon high eastward parking lot.
                                 —Hamlet, Act I, Scene 1

Well, maybe he didn’t write “parking lot.” It could be from the corrupt text by the Earl of Heynonnynonny. Never mind. It scans fine for the players in Tacoma’s Shakespeare in the Parking Lot Theatre Company, which performs in non-traditional, often outdoor venues. Bookstores, churches, parks — you get the picture. Now move your car so the show can begin. The company’s motto is “Taking the fear out of Shakespeare” and do they ever make the hard (and really long) parts go down easy. Their current show, “Hamlet: Something Rotten is Going On,” is a faster and funnier rendition of the sorry tale of the melancholy Dane than you’ve probably ever seen. Or will see again. This production illustrates how The Bard anticipated the Enron debacle by 400 years. Scholars take note. For a schedule of performances and, er, parking information, go to shakespeareintheparkinglot.org.