Topic: Shakespeare is freakin' awesome. (Read 10688 times)

Narr · « **on:** 12 Nov 2006, 07:13 »

So, me and some friends got together and read the first couple acts of Othello tonight. I got to do the part of Iago.

My favorite, favorite moment of the night was Iago's advice to his friend Roderigo when the latter was expressing desires of drowning himself.

"Come, be a man! Drown thyself? Drown cats and blind puppies!"

Inlander · « **Reply #1 on:** 12 Nov 2006, 08:19 »

Speak, my Lavinia, what accursed hand
Hath made thee handless in thy father's sight?
What fool hath added water to the sea,
Or brought a fagot to bright-burning Troy?
My grief was at the height before though cam'st;
And now, like Nilus, it disdaineth bounds.
Give me a sword, I'll chop off my hands too;
For they have fought for Rome, and all in vain;
And they have nurs'd this woe in feeding life;
In bootless prayer have they been held up,
Now all the service I require of them
Is that the one will help cut the other. -
'Tis well, Lavinia, that thou hast no hands;
For hands, to do Rome service, are but vain.

Titus Andronicus, Act III, scene I.

I read that play after I had a particularly horrific dream that haunted me for weeks. Reading the most brutal play in Shakespeare's cannon helped exorcise it. I still love that speech - the utter despair of it is so moving.

Fiddler · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 00:20 »

The next logical choice from this thread is for people to start putting up dramatic readings of shakespeare they have done themselves.

Will · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 00:25 »

I would, but I'm too busy dramatizing shitty pop music. The Bard shall have to wait.

KOODustin · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 00:38 »

I've done too much shakespeare. I can't stand it now. Seriously, I despise his plays.

KharBevNor · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 00:42 »

LOL

No, seriously. I bet you've done like, two of his plays in school, right?

Probably never seen one performed?

LOL

KOODustin · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 00:57 »

I actually do a lot of theater. I've been in As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet twice, and Midsummer Night's Dream, and Hamlet. And yes, one R&J was in high school, and so was MND. The rest were community or college theater. I've seen Hamlet performed twice, once at the Stratford fest in Canada. The same goes for Midsummer Night's Dream. I'm no stranger to his work. I just can't stand it anymore. It's mostly the Elizabethan. It was a bitch and a half to memorize. I'm not saying that you're stupid for liking it or anything, but I think it's HIGHLY over-rated.

Narr · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 01:30 »

I guess I'm weird in that I used to think it was overrated back in high school but as I've delved further into literature based courses and further into earning an English degree, the more I appreciate his wit. I envy his liberal use of diction.

KOODustin · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 01:38 »

I think that's actually the norm. My opinion on his work has never really changed. I just always thought if you were an actor and you wanted to have any "chops" whatsoever AS an actor, you had to do Shakespeare. My experience with him was pretty much me trying to understand why it is that people think he's the end-all-be-all of Theater. I mean, call me uncultured or dumb for not getting it, but I don't. Hell, more power to you if you do. I wish I got it too.

zutonna · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 05:42 »

^ Maybe you just need to try harder if it's the language you're having problems with. Otherwise remember that his excellent storylines have not lost their potency and still have meaning in today's world after 400 years!

Yesterday I went to see The Winter's Tale at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon! (The theatre was absolutely gorgeous and the play was done 'in promenade' so members of the audience were able to walk among the actors!)
What's great is that you don't even need to read it beforehand to understand its intricacies.

Inlander · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 05:57 »

I think the best Shakespeare production I've ever seen was the Tempest about 11 years ago at the Belvoir St. Theatre in Sydney. Barry Otto (well-known veteran actor in Australia; some of you may be familiar with the film work of his daughter, Miranda Otto) as Prospero, Cate Blanchett, then just starting to make a name for herself, as Miranda, and - most memorably - the late Kevin Smith as Caliban. Smith was a very fine Aboriginal actor, and having Caliban played by an indigenous Australian added an incredibly powerful extra dimension to the character, who after all has basically had his homeland taken away from him in the play.

KOODustin · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 07:27 »

Quote from: zutonna on 13 Nov 2006, 05:42

^ Maybe you just need to try harder if it's the language you're having problems with. Otherwise remember that his excellent storylines have not lost their potency and still have meaning in today's world after 400 years!

Yesterday I went to see The Winter's Tale at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon! (The theatre was absolutely gorgeous and the play was done 'in promenade' so members of the audience were able to walk among the actors!)
What's great is that you don't even need to read it beforehand to understand its intricacies.

You're probably right about the language thing. But That's awesome that you went to the Swan! I've heard it's really a nice theater. I'm trying to remember the name of the theater I went to in Canada...I know it was MASSIVE. There wasn't a bad seat in the house.

supersheep · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 17:38 »

Studying Shakespeare in secondary school is the perfect way to end up with a distaste for his plays... Reading more of his stuff is a plan for the future. The man basically invented a huge chunk of English, after all, and like zutonna said, his plays still have meaning - "Be it ever thy business to busy uncertain minds with foreign quarrels", anyone? (Apologies for bastardising the quote somewhat...)

Luke C · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 22:25 »

He is pretty good but not the demi-God he is made out to be.

Narr · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 Nov 2006, 01:39 »

Quote from: supersheep on 13 Nov 2006, 17:38

Studying Shakespeare in secondary school is the perfect way to end up with a distaste for his plays... Reading more of his stuff is a plan for the future. The man basically invented a huge chunk of English, after all, and like zutonna said, his plays still have meaning - "Be it ever thy business to busy uncertain minds with foreign quarrels", anyone? (Apologies for bastardising the quote somewhat...)

I do plan to be an English major.

Maybe that's one reason I find him so interesting lately.

Gryff · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 Nov 2006, 12:17 »

Quote from: Inlander on 13 Nov 2006, 05:57

...the late Kevin Smith as Caliban. Smith was a very fine Aboriginal actor, and having Caliban played by an indigenous Australian added an incredibly powerful extra dimension to the character, who after all has basically had his homeland taken away from him in the play.

This Kevin Smith? The Kevin Smith from New Zealand?

Inlander · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 Nov 2006, 12:31 »

No, this 'un.

Gryff · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 Nov 2006, 00:59 »

Oh, okay. Carry on.

The Hammered · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 Nov 2006, 09:33 »

A bunch of brief, mostly unrelated thoughts:

Regarding Iago, I've played him and it is really fun. The last scene was particularly great in my experience, largely because I was working with a really good Emilia. The Roderigo scenes are great too.

Falstaff is one of my favorite fictional characters, if not my absolute favorite, based only on Henry IV part 1. I haven't seen or read part 2 or The Merry Wives of Windsor.

I recall hearing a recording of the sleepwalking scene in Macbeth when I was ten, and it scared the hell out of me at the time, although I'll grant I was extremely wussy then.

King Lear made me cry. Particularly the point where Lear enters with Cordelia in the last scene. In fact, I'll admit I'm tearing up now thinking of it.

The first couple ballads Autolycus offers to the Clown in The Winter's Tale really need to be made into actual ballads.

I do not like Orsino. I love the play, but Orsino needs to let go already, and cut out the "noble, spurned lover" act. He also needs to stop listening to so much mournful music and calling it "the food of love," mostly because I think there are many other lines that deserve much more fame than that one.

Speaking of quotable lines, people need to learn what "Wherefore art thou Romeo" means. I'm also told that people often quote Richard III's line "Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of York" (I think that's what it is, I'm too lazy to check), but leave out everything after "discontent." Gah.

practicality · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Nov 2006, 10:05 »

We've just finished King Lear in class... Right now I'm sick of the inversions created by Lear and Glouster because of their defiance of the natural hierarchy of class... and we watched a terrible video of it. Blegh. I'm sure I'll appreciate it more later.

Before we read Lear, we read Richard II. Yuck.

We read Comedy of Errors and Macbeth freshman year... so I don't remember much, but I saw a version of Comedy at Errors at a local Shakespeare festival which was quite good.

That's about it. I'm not crazy about Shakespeare... I actually like his poetry better than his plays.

The Hammered · « **Reply #20 on:** 16 Nov 2006, 23:04 »

Speaking of class in Shakespeare, that's one of the things that annoys me most. Winter's Tale had quite a bit of that. I don't blame him for that, given that he did live four hundred years ago and that he had to please his noble patrons much of the time, but it still gets on my nerves.

Slick · « **Reply #21 on:** 23 Nov 2006, 09:14 »

I've seen some professional Shakespeare at the Stratford festival in Ontario, but I'm not a massive fan.
I reckon most of his fame is because of what he invented. He invented a lot. People, artists, and groups are very much remembered for what they meant at the time in addition to what they actually did.
I enjoy his plays, I enjoy his writing, but it's a bit boring and predictable to my tastes. Plus the love themes are kind of irritating if I see/read more than one in too short a time interval. True Love! True Love! True Love! Fuck Off!

Incidentally, the favorite 'Shakespeare' play I've encountered is one I acted in in highschool, no less. We did 'the fifteen minute hamlet', which is basically the whole play done by 5 actors compressed into thirteen minutes plus a two minute encore at the end. HILARIOUS. I played most of the older men and shakespeare (he does an opening monologue consisting of couplets stolen from the other monologues). Basically, there was a mad rush of people going on and off stage changing outfits. The best moment was in the encore when I walked on while changing into my outfit, walked off taking it off again, then Hamlet screwed up his cues and ran onto stage, realised his error and ran right back off in a panic.
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead is also supposed to be hilarious (by the same person?), which takes hamlet from the perspective of two of the minor characters. My director was super keen that I get involved in it, but we ran out of time in the year then I went to university.

Luke C · « **Reply #22 on:** 24 Nov 2006, 21:54 »

Talking of Shakespeare I went to see The Tempest last night in Newcastle (The UK one btw), starring Patrick Stewart as Prospero. 'Twas good but quite odd. And we were sat in the Gods. Literally two rows from the back on the fourth tier, which made some parts kinda hard to see but alas it was worth the trip.

Firefly · « **Reply #23 on:** 25 Nov 2006, 00:41 »

I loooooves me my Shakespeare

I've seen quite a few shows, several in England done in outside in gardens (just gorgeous). Really, there's nothing better than watching Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream poking around the many audience members with picnics snatching swigs of wine.
I was also going to go see A Winter's Tale in London at the freaking Globe but due to extenuating circumstances we got fucked over and had to leave early. AUGH! So bitter

A couple years ago my sister took a course on Shakespeare entitled SHAKESPEARE IS SMUT! Oooh, I am just waiting for that course to pop up again. But until then I'll take some medival lit, ooh and Chaucer too

Random thought of the Day:
Who would win in a fight, Chaucer or Shakespeare?

KharBevNor · « **Reply #24 on:** 25 Nov 2006, 08:39 »

Neither. They'd exchange extremely colourful insults for about half an hour, then, suitably impressed by each others poetic flair, they'd go off to some inn and get absolutely hammered. Then Chaucer would tell loads of really dirty stories until he got kicked out.

Merkava · « **Reply #25 on:** 26 Nov 2006, 07:10 »

Quote from: KOODustin on 13 Nov 2006, 01:38

I think that's actually the norm.? My opinion on his work has never really changed.? I just always thought if you were an actor and you wanted to have any "chops" whatsoever AS an actor, you had to do Shakespeare.? My experience with him was pretty much me trying to understand why it is that people think he's the end-all-be-all of Theater.? I mean, call me uncultured or dumb for not getting it, but I don't.? Hell, more power to you if you do.? I wish I got it too.

Agreed, to an extent. I just find the whole Shakespeare thing trite and boring. Ok, if done right, his plays are brilliant and sometimes moving, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see one of his plays. I also hate the fact that you are considered "uncultured" if you don't like him. Fuck that. I'm studying theater; I'm reading the work of playwrights like Kalidasa and Euripides; I'm enjoying and appreciating them. I'm just not a huge fan of Shakespeare.

Johnny C · « **Reply #26 on:** 26 Nov 2006, 10:12 »

Shakespeare's History plays are the only ones I don't like. The rest are ace.

Narr · « **Reply #27 on:** 28 Nov 2006, 19:01 »

Quote from: Firefly on 25 Nov 2006, 00:41

Random thought of the Day:
Who would win in a fight, Chaucer or Shakespeare?

That's like asking who would win in a fight: Aristotle or Socrates?

Although I'm pretty sure Socrates would win that encounter because he used to be a hoplite and Aristotle is a pencil-necked dweeb. Hm. Maybe I picked a bad analogy.

As for courses, that sounds like an entertaining course. I still regret not getting into Orson Card's class last semester that went in depth studying Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Imagine me raising my arms in the air hollering "No!" right now if you need a mental image of my regret.

bujiatang · « **Reply #28 on:** 28 Nov 2006, 20:48 »

I can imagine Lewis and Tolkien sending each other angry letters... heh heh heh. growlers. ha

Narr · « **Reply #29 on:** 28 Nov 2006, 22:47 »

They were actually very good friends. Tolkien is more or less the biggest influence on Lewis' conversion from total atheism to Christianity.

I learn all these fun things from kids that got to take the class. It makes me want to punch them. (Not really.)

SilentJ · « **Reply #30 on:** 30 Nov 2006, 03:17 »

So far I have read Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth only.
I have seen a movie version of both as well.
At my local Rennaisance Festival I got to see a total of 4 people put on Othello.
I also got the pleasure of seeing A Comedy of Errors at the Shakespeare Theater in DC.

and I'm loving every minute of it.

Oh, for anyone who loves Shakespeare, find yourself the DVD of the Reduced Shakespeare Company. This is a group of three men who perform all but like 3 of Shakespeare's plays in like an hour or so. They perform all if the King plays at the same time, as a football game. They compress all of his comedies into a single play. They do Hamlet with a sock playing the part of the ghost of Hamlet's dad. They do the play twice as fast. Then they do it backwards. It is absolutely AMAZING. One of my favorites is when they perform Titus Andronicus as a cooking show. They also do Othello as a rap song.

Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301126/ <- The Complete Works of William Shakespeare... ABRIDGED!

These guys also did the Bible abridged

Firefly · « **Reply #31 on:** 30 Nov 2006, 08:02 »

Oooh, I saw a live version of Shakespeare Abridged and holy craaap, I almost wet myself several times throughout it. Totally hilarious.

*Guy comes running on stage in a blond wig and bulky dress, splashes water on his face, screams, and falls down dead*

Hamlet is officially my favourite Shakespeare play (man, he was cracked out when writing it, I love it!

Hmm, looks like there's a bit of a lull here...PIRATES, BRING ON THE FUCKING PIRATES!!! No one will question the plotholes if I throw in PIRATES! *My impression of Gertrude* Fuck yeah, I saw that bitch drown. Whaddya mean 'why didn't I do anything?' I just did my fuckin' hair and this is a nice fuckin' dress. Piss off. - teehee, do excuse the profuse swearing)

SilentJ · « **Reply #32 on:** 01 Dec 2006, 04:17 »

Firefly: yeah I know what you're talking about. That was Reduced Shakespeare Company. The character was Ophelia in Hamlet.

"Wait, before you go on, what's the next scene with Ophelia?"
"There are no more scenes with Ophelia."
"No man, I'm up for it!"
"There aren't any. That's all Shakespeare wrote."
"What happens to her?"
"She drowns."
"......okay, cool!"

which is when he runs offstage, comes back out with a glass of water, interrupts a soliloquoy..."here we go!" *splashes water in face* "AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" *falls to ground, gets up, bows, walks offstage*

Firefly · « **Reply #33 on:** 01 Dec 2006, 07:09 »

You sound as though I didn't know who the character was. Sillypants, of course it was Ophelia

Yays for ridiculous behaviours!

SilentJ · « **Reply #34 on:** 02 Dec 2006, 12:44 »

heehee.

"Didn't he also write one called like Chernobyl Kinsman?"
"That's Two Noble Kinsmen."
"Cher... Chernobyl Kinsmen..."

snaps · « **Reply #35 on:** 04 Dec 2006, 13:15 »

the great problem is that "shakespeare is good" is uncharacteristic of this particular age group...as though it's a sort of revelation instead of something understood...i mean, it's fine that people discover such things by themselves, but the fact that there is an option (which is to say, someone might say "i don't like shakespeare," is foul) sort of complicates things in a non-positive sort of way.

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: Shakespeare is freakin' awesome. (Read 10688 times)

Narr

Fiddler

Narr

zutonna

Narr

The Hammered

practicality

The Hammered

Firefly

Merkava

Narr

bujiatang

Narr

Firefly

Firefly