Shakespeare has no shortage of problematic characters that we end up loving despite how unacceptable their behavior is. I have a huge soft-spot for this particular prize-winning idiot.
Leave your problematic fave in the comments!
30 Days of Shakespeare, Day 9: James Shapiro's Books
I’ve got a lot of biographies of Shakespeare on my bookshelf, and I actively dislike most of them. But I’m always happy to revisit today’s 30 Days of Shakespeare entries.
Shapiro has also written Shakespeare in a Divided America, which I am looking forward to reading as soon as the title stops making me anxious.
30 Days of Shakespeare, Day 8: Crab
WHO’S A GOOD BOY???
Crab is easily the best thing about The Two Gentlemen of Verona.
30 Days of Shakespeare, Day 7: Michael Boyd's Histories
Today’s 30 Days of Shakespeare highlight is one of the most epic and memorable experiences in my entire theatre-going history.
12 hours of solid history plays. I was in heaven. I think some part of me is still chasing the high of this incredible experience.
30 Days of Shakespeare, Day 6: Emma Thompson's Beatrice
‘Nuff said.
There are very few Shakespeare-related opinions that I will completely reject out of hand. Enjoyment of Shakespeare is wonderfully subjective, and if you happen to like or dislike different productions, actors, and interpretations than me, that’s totally fine! Don’t care for Henry IV, part 1? That’s allowed! Enjoyed the Ethan Hawke film of Cymbeline? Wow, I’m glad someone did. You do you! Think it’s ok when productions of The Winter’s Tale don’t actually show the bear? No problem, everyone is entitled to be wrong sometimes!
But if you don’t like Emma Thompson’s Beatrice, it’s all over between us.
30 Days of Shakespeare, Day 5: Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Today’s 30 Days of Shakespeare installment celebrates one of the most pointless words in Shakespeare!
There are several really fun ways to flex on fellow Shakespeare geeks. This is one of them. I’ll get to at least one other later this month.
30 Days of Shakespeare. Day 4: Speak Hands For Me!
My working premise for this 30 Days of Shakespeare project was to highlight Shakespeare-related moments that bring me joy. Today’s pick doesn’t really bring me “joy”, but it’s still worthy of inclusion!
If it wouldn’t alarm people, I would totally go around randomly shouting “SPEAK HANDS FOR ME!” It’s such a great line.
30 Days of Shakespeare, Day 3: John Barton's Knit Tie
One of the things I love to do as a Shakespeare geek is seek out behind-the-scenes stories of productions. While I enjoy the finished product that I see onstage, I also very much want to know HOW that product was created. As someone who has never been involved in acting or directing, much of it remained a mystery to me… until I saw today’s 30 Days of Shakespeare pick.
Let me be clear: I very much don’t believe that Shakespeare needs to be “unlocked” for you by some white man in order for you to “properly” understand and appreciate him. Nor do I believe Barton’s style of playing Shakespeare is the only way he should be played. However, the collective experience of this amazing group of actors, crystalized through Barton’s knowledge and insights, legitimately increased my appreciation of Shakespeare’s text and helped me understand a lot about how contemporary actors can bring his words to life.
If you haven’t seen Playing Shakespeare yet, I strongly encourage you to check out the full series on YouTube. The picture quality is rather fuzzy… much like John Barton.