Shakespeare

[Michelle]

I have to admit, my only experince of Shakespeare is Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth, which I studied at school. I know that some of his works involve killings, but I didn't realise that he'd written a play such as Titus Andronicus...

Globe warns over 'gruesome' play (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5042516.stm)

Has anyone read or studied this one?

An what about his other plays.. which have you read or seen? Favourites?

[Inanna]

I've not read or heard of that one before Michelle.

The ones I have read are: (the more stars there are the more I liked it)

Midsummers Night Dream *****
Romeo And Juliet ****
MacBeth *
Hamlet **
Othello ***
King Lear *

I'm sure there's another 1 or 2 but can't think of them offhand :wink:

[Kell]

Ooh, yes, Titus is completely gruesome! I've never seen it performed (& I've been meaning to see the film that was made a few years back, but haven't yet) but I read it years ago at school (it wasn't on the curriculum).

My favourite's Macbeth - I just love everything about it, so dark & bleak with madness, jealousy, murder & mayhem all over the place - everything a good play should have! I actually used Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene as my audition for the drama course at college, I loved it so much. We studied this one for Higher English too.

The only other one I've been involved in a production of is Romeo & Juliet, which isn't one of my favourites, but it was great fun to do. We all refused to e "wimpy & slushy" & instead were normal, petulant teens (which is what R&J were, essentially, as they were supposed to be about 14 & 17 yrs old - LOL!).

I also did some study on Othello at college - I loved that one. Again with the jealousy & murder. I think Iago is one of the most despicable characters Shakespeare ever wrote & I adore him - he must be such fun to play. When I was at college, we kept 3 fish - they were all black moors, so Dan called his Othello. In response, the others were Iago (mine) & Desdemona (Ellie's). We liked to think we had very cultural pets - teeheehee!

One of my other favourite is Twelfth Night (or, What You Will), which is a comedy of errors with a girl dressed as a boy, falling in love with her master who loves another woman who loves the girl dressed as a boy. It all comes right in the end. It also features Feste, the fool, who is wonderful. If anyone hasn't seen the film version with Ben Kingsley in this role - go watch it, you're missing out - he was fantastic!

And the whimsical Midsummer Night's Dream is always wonderful - complete with cat-fight between Helena & Hermia. I've always thought it would be fun to play Puck.

I've also read & enjoyed:
The Comedy of Errors (we did a scene from this once at college - I was Adriana)
King Lear (again, we did a scene for college - I was Cordelia)
The Tempest
Much Ado About Nothing
As You Like It
Richard III
Hamlet (another scene - this time for fencing class - I was Laertes!)
Anthony & Cleopatra
The Taming of the Shrew (another scene - as Katherina, the shrew)

Can you tell I adore Shakespeare? We went to visit the Globe Theatre in London (just a tour, not to see a show) on our honeymoon & were lucky enough to see part of a tech rehearsal for an all-female cast performing The Taming of the Shrew - they were excellent & I wish we could have seen the actual show.

[Kell]

Ooh, & if anyone ever gets the chance to see the Reduced Shakespeare Company, snap those tickets up! They perform a rundown of every one of Shakespeare's plays in the 1st half, leaving Hamlet for the 2nd where they perform it faster & faster, eventually even doing it backwards, & even involving the audience in "heckling" the characters with lines such as:

"Paint an inch thick!" (basically calling Ophelia a slapper with too much makeup)
&
"Cut the ****, Hamlet,my biological clock is ticking & I want babies now!"

It's absolutely hilarious!

[Michelle]

When we were studing Macbeth, we went to see it performed in London (I think!), but for the life of me I can't remember where we went. After seeing a couple of film versions, it was good to see it performed as it was intended.

This was around 1987.. according to Wiki, the Globe wasn't open then, and neither was the Rose, so goodness knows where we went!

[Freewheeling Andy]

Titus Andronicus is nasty.

My favourite of his, I think, is Troilus and Cressida, which is wonderfully dark and nasty - it has such a bad ending.

I'm not a big fan of the comedies, but the histories are fantastic. And Hamlet is great.

[Mamacita]

Michelle, isn't it funny you find that article right when we were discussing the Globe theater???

I've never seen Titus Andronicus and I don't believe I will any time in the future, either. Yick!

But I adore Shakespeare.

I grew up in San Diego, California which built a replica of the original Globe theater in 1935 for the Pacific International Exposition.

When I was in high school, I took a Shakespeare as Literature class and we went to see several productions, including Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth, & Midsummer Night's Dream.

When my drama class presented some famous scenes from Shakespeare's plays, I got to play Lady Macbeth and Puck (the soliloquy at the end of the play). It was great fun and I learned a lot.

In February, 1983, on a trip to California, Queen Elizabeth visited the Old Globe and unveiled a statue of William Shakespeare.

For my next trip over your way, I have two goals. 1) Visit Statford Upon Avon and 2) see a performance at the Globe.

As far as my favorite, I think it would be Twelfth Night. Such a fun mix up!! :D

[Tiger]

I love Shakespeare!

[Janet]

I also did some study on Othello at college - I loved that one. Again with the jealousy & murder. I think Iago is one of the most despicable characters Shakespeare ever wrote & I adore him - he must be such fun to play.
I've just studied Othello as part of my GCSE English course. The only experience I'd had before was when I was a stage hand at school for A Midsummer Night's Dream (about 26 years ago!).

I thought Shakespeare would be boring, but it was amazing. I loved it so much!

I totally agree, Kell, about Iago - he's deliciously and wickedly good!

[Freewheeling Andy]

I really enjoyed seeing Henry V at the Globe. There was lots of pantomime style booing of the French.

[Angel]

When I did Shakespeare at school, I really enjoyed Macbeth and Midsummer Night's dream

Tiger thoroughly liked Macbeth as well and can't wait to do more :)

[Louiseog]

The Globe is great because you are supposed to behave like the (very rude) Tudor audiences.
We quite often go to Stratford and the performances there are brilliant as well although the audience is a bit more tradition lol.
I love them all when I see them live and not read. Can't read a Shakespeare play and still find Romeo and Juliet a bit annoying (want to give them both a stern parent/teacher talking too) I cried with laughter at Midsummer Nights Dream and Comedy of Errors this summer. Like King Lear too.

[wiccibat]

Roman Polanski's Macbeth scared the pants off me,[I was only 14] A piece of trivia for you now. The Grammer of shakespearian english is very similar to spanish grammer, hence my kids loved Shakespeare, and 'got' the jokes from around 6 years of age.

My favourites I think are Loves labours lost
and King Lear

[Maureen]

I always found the pound of flesh due to be quite gruesome.

[Sarahrob]

My favourite of his, I think, is Troilus and Cressida, which is wonderfully dark and nasty - it has such a bad ending.


I like Troilus and Cressida, but my favourite is Othello - I love Iago as he is such a fantastic villain! The last time I went to see it was about three or four years ago in Manchester, where Andy Serkiss played Iago. It was a fantastic performance.

I also love Macbeth. I bought a copy of Macbeth from a jumble sale when I was about 7 years old and just fell in love with it. I've been to see it many times.

I like a Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing and the Merchant of Venice. Another favourite is Coriolanus.

[Kell]

Coreolanus is the ONLy one not covered by the Reduced Shakespeare company. instead the make a joke out of how they don't do "the anus play" - LOL!

[Purple Poppy]

I loved The Tempest and the Taming of the shrew, but I will have to start reading Shakespeare again. Did quite a bit at school, Othello and Hamlet, and A midsummer Nights Dream. All of them favourites ever since.

[FishAndChips]

I really should read some more Shakespeare. His use of language is amazing, he really was a genius.

The plays I know are:

Hamlet
Macbeth
The Tempest
Antony and Cleopatra (did it for school, found it quite boring)
A midsummer nights dream
Much Ado about nothing (saw it in London, brilliant production)

My favourite is The Tempest because it's so magical

[Laramie]

I've read a Midsummer Night's Dream, and seen a bit of a new version, read and analysed the c**p out of Richard lll for english SATs, seen part of 2 or 3 versions on the TV (in lesson), and I think I've read a few more...

And, basically:










I CAN'T STAND SHAKESPEARE! I just think they're all boring and nothing happens.

[FishAndChips]

I never liked Shakespeare when I was younger. As I teenager and even in my early twenties I just wasn't interested, but the older I get the more I grow to love his plays.

[Michelle]

There's nothing wrong with not liking something, but I don't think you can say nothing happens.. they have plots, just like most stories.

[Laramie]

okay, nothing that interests me happens, then!

[Echo]

I have of course read a lot of Shakespeare in school, and some on my own, and I love his plays! Here are the ones I have read:

A Midsummer Night's Dream (my favorite)
Macbeth
Hamlet
Romeo and Juliet
The Merchant of Venice
The Taming of the Shrew
Richard II
King Henry IV, parts I and II
King Henry V
Antony and Cleopatra

[SteffieB]

I love Taming of the Shrew and Macbeth, and his sonnets, too. I think Shakespeare is a challenge because it requires some translation.

[JudyB]

Oooh Shakespeare - just love his plays and sonnets. They've stood the test of time because their themes are so universal - usually concerned with human truths. My first introduction was O level Merchant of Venice - I was completely absorbed to see what the conclusion would be. We saw Macbeth at the cinema - hadn't realised it was going to be so gory.

At A level I studied Hamlet and was lucky enough to see Robert Lindsay play the lead at the Royal Exchange in Manchester - fantastic theatre - in the early 80's. We also studied The Tempest which turned out to be one of my favourites - I loved the civilization versus nature theme.

Since then I have studied Much Ado About Nothing and Othello. I thought Othello was brilliant - my daughter is studying it at the moment.

So all in all - a Shakespeare fan!:D

[Icecream]

I so need to read more Shakespeare. I have so much else to read (and to do!)

The first play I read was A Midsummer Night's Dream, which is my favourite, then Macbeth, then Romeo and Juliet, then a little bit of Merchant of Venice (becase the stupid teacher thought i could read in one night before my mock exam), and then I saw Twelfth Night (my second favourite) at the Shakespeare theatre in Stratford.

I absolutely love Shakespeare. His sonnets are great. I have had the complete works for some time, which someone gave me knowing my love for Shakespeare and I am sorry to say that I have not read much out of it yet. I suppose t also need the type pf concentration I don't have at the moment having the children.

[fireball]

True for you Icecream, one of a very select few writers who actually puts life inspective. ;)

[angerball]

I'm not keen on Shakespeare. Mind you, I have only read him in high-school, and was probably too young to understand or appreciate his work. Maybe I'll pick one of his plays up some time, and see if I feel any differently now.

[wrathofkublakhan]

Oh my, I've read plenty from The Bard. I think I like his bawdy comedies like The Taming of the Shrew -- but I'm a pig and like that kind of coarse material.

Some people think this stuff is boring -- well, try sitting in the wings for a show waiting to push a bit o' scenery in between Acts! Perchance to dream, indeed...

[Kell]

I'm not keen on Shakespeare. Mind you, I have only read him in high-school, and was probably too young to understand or appreciate his work. Maybe I'll pick one of his plays up some time, and see if I feel any differently now.
I've always thought it a bit of a crime the way teachers ruin Shakespeare for the kids they're teaching. If the teacher doesn't love his work, then the enthusiasm isn't instilled in the youngsters. I was fortunate in that I had teachers who adored the Bard and made it exciting for us to experience in the classroom. I was also fortunate in that my parents also encouraged that love for plays (seeing as how I was on the stage from such a young age).

Oh my, I've read plenty from The Bard. I think I like his bawdy comedies like The Taming of the Shrew - but I'm a pig and like that kind of coarse material.I love The Taming of the Shrew too, Wrath - it's such a wonderfully boisterous play, full of clashing personalities and fireworks in the relationships!

[NiceguyEddie]

I've seen quite a few Shakespeare plays performed at various theatres. The best was King Lear in Bristol & the worst was Macbeth at The Globe. Dreadful. Particularly annoying as I took the kids to see it. I should have read a review before going.

The best performances of Shakespeare I think were the series the BBC did in the 80s. The highlights were Olivier as Lear (I must have watched it twenty times as it was one of my prepared questions for my finals), but the peak was, for me anyway, John Cleese as Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew. Quite brilliant. I'd love to see it again.

[Janet]

I've just studied Othello as part of my GCSE English course. The only experience I'd had before was when I was a stage hand at school for A Midsummer Night's Dream (about 26 years ago!).

I thought Shakespeare would be boring, but it was amazing. I loved it so much!

I totally agree, Kell, about Iago - he's deliciously and wickedly good!
Since posting this I've gone on to study Henry VI Part 3 and Richard III for AS level English. I absolutely adored Richard - another great 'baddy' like Iago!

We're now doing The Winter's Tale for A2 English - and I can already tell I'm going to love it.

I certainly think (for me, anyway) that a bit of maturity helps - together with a tutor who absolutely loves The Bard and is so enthusiastic - and that is so infectious that it rubs off!

ETA: NiceGuyEddie - I'm slowly buying the DVDs of the BBC 80s series from Amazon - they're great, even though they look a bit dated. :)

[jenmck]

Does anyone else remember the version of "Taming Of The Shrew" with Meryl Streep? The male actor was famous too and I can't think of his name.
I saw the video when I was in High School but I've never seen it since.
I've never liked Elizabeth Taylor in "The Taming of the Shrew".
I fell in love with Kenneth Branaugh in "As You Like It" (I think) with Emma Thompson. (PLEASE correct me. Which one was it?) And Denzel was great in that too.

I love King Lear, though I always felt Cordelia was a wet blanket.
I had a teacher in High School who made Shakespeare come alive for me. I never recovered. :lol:

[Kell]

Does anyone else remember the version of "Taming Of The Shrew" with Meryl Streep? The male actor was famous too and I can't think of his name.
It was Kiss Me, Petrucchio (http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0342642/) made in 1981 and it was Raul Julia. :)
I fell in love with Kenneth Branaugh in "As You Like It" (I think) with Emma Thompson. (PLEASE correct me. Which one was it?) And Denzel was great in that too.
It was Much Ado About Nothing (http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0107616/) - and yes, it was brilliant!

[jenmck]

It was Kiss Me, Petrucchio (http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0342642/) made in 1981 and it was Raul Julia. :)

It was Much Ado About Nothing (http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0107616/) - and yes, it was brilliant!

YOU ROCK!!!!!! Thank you SO MUCH.

*Sigh* I have "Much Ado About Nothing" on tape and STILL couldn't remember it. :smile2:

[Kell]

YOU ROCK!!!!!! Thank you SO MUCH.Thank you! I do try. :blush:

[jenmck]

I clicked on the link for "Kiss Me, Petruccio" and then went on the hunt for a copy of it.
Apparently, it only resides in libraries.

*Heavy Sigh*

[Michelle]

[-]I've been sent this book (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Think-My-Words-Exploring-Shakespeares/dp/0521700353/ref=sr_11_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1220376323&sr=11-1) to review. Once I'm done, would anyone like it sent on? To me it's very 'text book', and not that interesting.. but someone here might enjoy it here.[/-]
Taken :)

[KW]

To me it's very 'text book', and not that interesting.. lol...with that hurrah, you might have to use it for Lewis' litter box:tong:..jk of course.

[Suzanne123]

I really love Shakespeare, and in order of like to dislike, I have studied:

-Othello (just brilliant)

-Macbeth (quite good)

-Romeo and Juliet (everyone at school thought this was brilliant so I 'rebelled' in my own way by saying it was alright)

-Hamlet (we had a rubbish teacher so it was awful! If I read it alone or studied it with a different teacher, I probably would have enjoyed it!)

[hume]

I have the complete works of shakespere. apart from his sonnets, anthony and cleopatra and the taming of the shrew (i saw ten things i hate about you, which is based upon it - i loved it!) I've read all of his plays. all are masterpieces in their own right.

[jewell]

I've always thought it a bit of a crime the way teachers ruin Shakespeare for the kids they're teaching. If the teacher doesn't love his work, then the enthusiasm isn't instilled in the youngsters. I was fortunate in that I had teachers who adored the Bard and made it exciting for us to experience in the classroom.

I had the same enthusiasm instilled in me by my English teacher, who i have to say has played a hugh part in my interests and studies. He encouraged us to absorb Shakespere and taught us how to work things out for ourselves. I used to work at a high school as a teacher support, and the teachers just told them what each sentence meant and told them to copy it down. How silly! Yes, it took a lot of effort to get them involved in his work and to work things out for themselves. But it was possible. And with more effort on the teachers part, i'm sure it would get easier.

My fav's are Much Ado About Nothing and Taming Of The Shrew. I also love his sonnets.

[Suzanne123]

The teachers just told them what each sentence meant and told them to copy it down. How silly!

That is what my teachers do-and its why I don't like Hamlet which i'm doing at the moment cause its taught so boringly, which means I will probably fail the exam! :motz: Over the christmas holidays, i'm going to read it again and study it on my own which will hopefully make it more intereasting and I will hopefully learn to like it! :readingtwo:

[Kell]

Try and see a good production of it - it can help immensely in getting folks into it properly. :)

[Suzanne123]

Id love to see the David Tennant version of Hamlet! But then the whole way through, id be like AHHHH THE DOCTOR and not beable to concentrate on the play! I would love to see a version though if I can :)

[jewell]

id be like AHHHH THE DOCTOR and not beable to concentrate on the play! :)

It's a shame his other work wasn't well known before he became the Doctor. I think i'd fid it hard o concentrate as well. But i think he's a very good acter. We might both be surprised. :icon_eek: :D

[RoxiS.C.]

Patrick Stewart is the best Shakespearean actor I've seen - though thats usually movies. I think he does stage shows too, or did.

I love him primarily because hes Captain Picard, but I think hes superb in Shakespearean dramas and also classic english ones - A Christmas Carol/Canterville Ghost.

[jewell]

suzanne123 - Have you seen any other Shakespere fims, etc? I was thinking i you find something you like about shakepere that you found yourself, it might make it a bit easier for you to grasp/enjoy Hamlet. I find sometimes that if i get into the writers frame of mind from one of his/her books, i find their other works easier to manage. Sometimes i even find i enjoy them. Then you may not need your teachers enthusiasm and you can run on your own enthusiasm.

I love patrick stuart too. And i luuurrrvve Star trek!

[Suzanne123]

For Hamlet, I have seen the Laurence Olivier, Mel Gibson and Kenneth Branagh versions, which has helped me more with the text and given me different interpretations of it :smile2: Ok, i'll try that with the writers frame of mind thingy when I re-read Hamlet... thanks! :mrgreen:

[The Library Nook]

When at school I read Measure for Measure and Midsummer Nights Dream and really enjoyed them. In the past year I set myself the personal challenge of reading some more Shakespeare but I got as far as getting copies of the major plays from The Book People but so far haven't managed any. 2009 will be my year to change this!

[Suzanne123]

I really want to read A Midsummers Night Dream ;)
Although I have no idea what its about!

[jewell]

A Midsummer Night's Dream was the first book i studied at school and then i did Macbeth. I wasn't to bothered about either. Both of them are about the havoc created by supernatural creatures. Only ones darker than the other. Give you one guess as to which one!

[rach.at.the.disco]

Can't say I'm a huge fan of Shakespeare, I find it a bit hard to read. Although I'm currently doing a "Women In Shakespeare" module at uni :roll:.

At high school we studied;
Macbeth
Romeo and Juliet (although I don't think we read it)

At uni we've studied;
King Lear
Macbeth
The Taming Of The Shrew (the only one I read all the way through)
Twelfth Night
Othello
Antony and Cleopatra (we're doing that next week but I haven't read it - yet)

I hope to try and read Romeo and Juliet at somepoint in the future.

[The Library Nook]

A Midsummer Night's Dream was the first book i studied at school and then i did Macbeth.

Ah I did Macbeth as well, had forgotten that!

[kb.marsh]

My favourite Shakespeare is King Lear, although I found Twelfth Night hilarious!

[supergran71]

The memory of ~The Merchant of Venice always stayed with me from school. I found it very exciting and have loved it since.

When I was doing the Open University, I saw a production of Twelfth Night and also Midsummer Night's Dream and enjoyed both.

Also as a school girl, I was taken to see Henry V and Hamlet.

All this has left me with a liking for Shakespeare's work and would take any opportunity to see a live portrayal.