Big Bad Willie Shakes
I’m not going to lie, I love Shakespeare. I have since I was in high school. My freshman year I got involved with a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Originally, I had no desire to be a part of a Shakespeare play and so didn’t attend auditions, but ended up joining the cast as a random faerie at the request of my three best friends, who were also in the show, playing Theseus, Nick Bottom and Francis Flute. (The latter two made an amazing duo and stole the show during the Pyramus and Thisby tragedy. If I can find the tape, it might be worth it to watch it). I wasn’t overly excited about the production for about a month of rehearsals, but then, a member of the cast had to drop out and I was given the opportunity to play the role of Helena. The play turned out to be one of my favorite theatrical experiences that I’ve had to date. Since then, I’ve been fascinated with Shakespeare. Considering the fact that I have never been much of a poetry aficionado, (don’t get me wrong…poetry can be extremely beautiful, particularly Shakespeare’s. I just happen to be drawn to works of literature that contain a definitive story, being that I’m a writer of stories myself), I developed quite an attachment to Shakespeare’s drama. As you can imagine, I was considered quite the oddball for this reason, but I assumed that most kids my age just weren’t mature enough to appreciate it, and that when I got a bit older, it would be easier to find others who shared my appreciation for the Bard’s craft. I was wrong.
While I’ll admit that people are getting less critical, it’s still difficult to find people interested enough in Shakespeare’s work to actually want to discuss it. Usually it’s something like, “His poetry is pretty” or “I liked that one movie with that guy in it…” In my exploration of the subject, I found that, even after experiences with college Shakespeare courses, many people my age have continued to dislike his work because they “just don’t get it.” I shouldn’t say “his work,” because many of these people are actually quite fond of his sonnets, but have never been able to get into his plays, which, as I mentioned before, have always been of greater interest to me. It is because of this that I was inspired to write this entry.
My intent is to provide those of you who are left in the dark when it comes to Shakespeare’s drama by offering the following suggestions:
- The first thing I would recommend, always, is to check out local performances if you haven’t already. View and participate. It’s true what they say: “Shakepeare is meant for the stage, not the page.” It is infinitely easier to understand Shakespeare’s drama when the words are coupled with action. If possible, get involved. Performing the plays gives you the opportunity to repeat the words and take on the actions and motivations of the characters so you can get a deeper understanding of what’s going on in the play. If you’re not much for performing, you could also benefit from being a part of a crew. You’d still be able to attend rehearsals and help put the production together, plus you would get to watch the director and actors at work. If you can’t partipate, or simply aren’t much for being a part of the production, then you can still keep your eye on your local theatres and make a point of seeing any plays that might be put on in your area.
- I realize that some of you out there aren’t theatrical types. If this is the case, there are some wonderful film adaptations out there that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home. My personal favorites are A Midsummer Night’s Dream starring Kevin Kline and Michelle Pfeiffer, (and also Christian Bale, who they don’t bother to mention on the cover even though he’s a pretty key role, but he’s a great actor and I think he deserves a bit of credit), Twelfth Night starring Helena Bonham Carter and Ben Kingsley, and Much Ado About Nothing starring Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson, (which is so good overall that you can even forgive Keanu Reeves his terrible acting).
- If you want to stick with the film route, but are having trouble understanding the dialogue, there are some great modernized versions available. Though I’ve never seen it myself, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet has been highly praised. However, from the bits and pieces that I have seen, the original dialogue has not been altered, and so it may still be difficult to comprehend for those of you who are having trouble. While I was in Scotland, a flatmate of mine introduced me to the BBC’s “Shakespeare: Retold” collection, featuring modernized versions of Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Taming of the Shrew. The last time I checked, these DVDs were only available in the UK. They could be ordered online and shipped to the US, but that would require a DVD player compatible with Region 2 DVDs. It’s not impossible, but it can be a bit of a hassle. If you can get your hands on them, though, they are well worth it. (THIS JUST IN: I checked on Amazon.com and it seems as if “Shakespeare: Retold” has finally been made available on this side of the pond!) I’ve also noticed a few of Shakespeare’s plays being turned into teen comedies in order to give Shakespeare more appeal to younger audiences. In fact, they have managed to blend in so well that many people are unaware they are based on Shakespeare at all. Normally, I’d say this defeats the purpose, but in some cases, (She’s the Man comes to mind…), I’d say this is a good thing, considering films like the aforementioned are not worthy of having any association with Shakespeare whatsoever, mainly because I abhor Amanda Bynes and I believe she should never appear in a film again. Wait, I’ll go farther than that…I think any reel of film containing her in any way, shape or form should be burned. (For those of you who aren’t aware, She’s the Man is supposed to be a modernization of Twelfth Night. I, however, would call it a butchering. Poor Shakespeare is probably turning over in his grave). For the most part, I’m not a fan of teen comedies, so I wouldn’t advocate these. In fact, I’d normally tell you not to touch any teen comedy with a ten-foot pole. Still, there is one exception. Some of you may not know this, but the blockbuster 10 Things I Hate About You is a (decently faithful) re-working of Taming of the Shrew. Despite being, in many ways, a typical teen comedy, it defies the rules by being the world’s first (and only, as far as I know) “smart” teen comedy. In between the “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll” humor that is so prevalent in teen films, you’ll catch an amusing Shakespeare reference that will appeal to fans such as myself. It also repels the normal, “We’re teens, we’re stupid, everyone should want to be us!” mentality and instead turns on and pokes fun at teen society. This is a film that I could watch over and over again. In fact, I think I will tonight.
- When I was in high school, my English teacher told our class about a performance by a group called the Reduced Shakespeare Company, and I’ve only recently managed to locate the DVD. This performance is in a category of its own. It is three men’s hilarious attempt to put on the complete works of Shakespeare in the span of a couple of hours. I guess this isn’t really helpful in understanding Shakespeare, but it may provide the viewer with an appreciation of what can be done with his work. Plus, it’s really freakin’ funny.
- If you’re not out to appreciate and understand Shakespeare, and you just need a quick fix because you were supposed to read some play for a class but you couldn’t understand a word of it outside of “and,” “the” and “Hamlet,” then I’d suggest dropping by Sparknotes.com and checking out the “No Fear Shakespeare” section. These guides are unlike your usual Sparknotes guides. Usually I’d recommend Sparknotes as a companion to class readings, not a replacement. You might miss out on a lot of smaller details that your professors could potentially quiz you on, because we all know how professors love those questions about the minutiae of the story, like what so-and-so ate for breakfast that one time. The great thing about No Fear Shakespeare, however, is that the full text of the play is included in the guide. The guides are divided into two columns with the actual text of the play in one column and then a modern “translation” in the other. They move right alongside each other at the same pace, nearly line for line, so you will get all of the material you need from the original text, and yet still be able to figure out what’s going on as you’re reading.
Well, I hope this has helped to provide you with a bit of a deeper appreciation for one of the greatest wordsmiths of all time, (in my humble opinion). Coming soon, a very special game for you all to play called…the IMDb Movie Meme!
RANDOM QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Mmm, leftover bread pudding from yesterday..." - Me
While I’ll admit that people are getting less critical, it’s still difficult to find people interested enough in Shakespeare’s work to actually want to discuss it. Usually it’s something like, “His poetry is pretty” or “I liked that one movie with that guy in it…” In my exploration of the subject, I found that, even after experiences with college Shakespeare courses, many people my age have continued to dislike his work because they “just don’t get it.” I shouldn’t say “his work,” because many of these people are actually quite fond of his sonnets, but have never been able to get into his plays, which, as I mentioned before, have always been of greater interest to me. It is because of this that I was inspired to write this entry.
My intent is to provide those of you who are left in the dark when it comes to Shakespeare’s drama by offering the following suggestions:
- The first thing I would recommend, always, is to check out local performances if you haven’t already. View and participate. It’s true what they say: “Shakepeare is meant for the stage, not the page.” It is infinitely easier to understand Shakespeare’s drama when the words are coupled with action. If possible, get involved. Performing the plays gives you the opportunity to repeat the words and take on the actions and motivations of the characters so you can get a deeper understanding of what’s going on in the play. If you’re not much for performing, you could also benefit from being a part of a crew. You’d still be able to attend rehearsals and help put the production together, plus you would get to watch the director and actors at work. If you can’t partipate, or simply aren’t much for being a part of the production, then you can still keep your eye on your local theatres and make a point of seeing any plays that might be put on in your area.
- I realize that some of you out there aren’t theatrical types. If this is the case, there are some wonderful film adaptations out there that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home. My personal favorites are A Midsummer Night’s Dream starring Kevin Kline and Michelle Pfeiffer, (and also Christian Bale, who they don’t bother to mention on the cover even though he’s a pretty key role, but he’s a great actor and I think he deserves a bit of credit), Twelfth Night starring Helena Bonham Carter and Ben Kingsley, and Much Ado About Nothing starring Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson, (which is so good overall that you can even forgive Keanu Reeves his terrible acting).
- If you want to stick with the film route, but are having trouble understanding the dialogue, there are some great modernized versions available. Though I’ve never seen it myself, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet has been highly praised. However, from the bits and pieces that I have seen, the original dialogue has not been altered, and so it may still be difficult to comprehend for those of you who are having trouble. While I was in Scotland, a flatmate of mine introduced me to the BBC’s “Shakespeare: Retold” collection, featuring modernized versions of Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Taming of the Shrew. The last time I checked, these DVDs were only available in the UK. They could be ordered online and shipped to the US, but that would require a DVD player compatible with Region 2 DVDs. It’s not impossible, but it can be a bit of a hassle. If you can get your hands on them, though, they are well worth it. (THIS JUST IN: I checked on Amazon.com and it seems as if “Shakespeare: Retold” has finally been made available on this side of the pond!) I’ve also noticed a few of Shakespeare’s plays being turned into teen comedies in order to give Shakespeare more appeal to younger audiences. In fact, they have managed to blend in so well that many people are unaware they are based on Shakespeare at all. Normally, I’d say this defeats the purpose, but in some cases, (She’s the Man comes to mind…), I’d say this is a good thing, considering films like the aforementioned are not worthy of having any association with Shakespeare whatsoever, mainly because I abhor Amanda Bynes and I believe she should never appear in a film again. Wait, I’ll go farther than that…I think any reel of film containing her in any way, shape or form should be burned. (For those of you who aren’t aware, She’s the Man is supposed to be a modernization of Twelfth Night. I, however, would call it a butchering. Poor Shakespeare is probably turning over in his grave). For the most part, I’m not a fan of teen comedies, so I wouldn’t advocate these. In fact, I’d normally tell you not to touch any teen comedy with a ten-foot pole. Still, there is one exception. Some of you may not know this, but the blockbuster 10 Things I Hate About You is a (decently faithful) re-working of Taming of the Shrew. Despite being, in many ways, a typical teen comedy, it defies the rules by being the world’s first (and only, as far as I know) “smart” teen comedy. In between the “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll” humor that is so prevalent in teen films, you’ll catch an amusing Shakespeare reference that will appeal to fans such as myself. It also repels the normal, “We’re teens, we’re stupid, everyone should want to be us!” mentality and instead turns on and pokes fun at teen society. This is a film that I could watch over and over again. In fact, I think I will tonight.
- When I was in high school, my English teacher told our class about a performance by a group called the Reduced Shakespeare Company, and I’ve only recently managed to locate the DVD. This performance is in a category of its own. It is three men’s hilarious attempt to put on the complete works of Shakespeare in the span of a couple of hours. I guess this isn’t really helpful in understanding Shakespeare, but it may provide the viewer with an appreciation of what can be done with his work. Plus, it’s really freakin’ funny.
- If you’re not out to appreciate and understand Shakespeare, and you just need a quick fix because you were supposed to read some play for a class but you couldn’t understand a word of it outside of “and,” “the” and “Hamlet,” then I’d suggest dropping by Sparknotes.com and checking out the “No Fear Shakespeare” section. These guides are unlike your usual Sparknotes guides. Usually I’d recommend Sparknotes as a companion to class readings, not a replacement. You might miss out on a lot of smaller details that your professors could potentially quiz you on, because we all know how professors love those questions about the minutiae of the story, like what so-and-so ate for breakfast that one time. The great thing about No Fear Shakespeare, however, is that the full text of the play is included in the guide. The guides are divided into two columns with the actual text of the play in one column and then a modern “translation” in the other. They move right alongside each other at the same pace, nearly line for line, so you will get all of the material you need from the original text, and yet still be able to figure out what’s going on as you’re reading.
Well, I hope this has helped to provide you with a bit of a deeper appreciation for one of the greatest wordsmiths of all time, (in my humble opinion). Coming soon, a very special game for you all to play called…the IMDb Movie Meme!
RANDOM QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Mmm, leftover bread pudding from yesterday..." - Me