I’m working on a screenplay in which some theatre actors talk about Shakespeare. I’m no stranger to the Bard, but the level of knowledge these characters possess is beyond me.
Both Wikipedia and my books on Shakespeare have failed me, so I thought I’d see if any scholars, actors, or directors on the SDMB can answer to these questions.
Thanks.
In any of Shakespeare’s “pants roles,” do any of the women handle a sword?
Which plays include sword fights?
Are there ghosts in any plays besides Macbeth and Hamlet?
Superstitious actors call Macbeth “The Scottish Play” and call his wife “Lady M.” What do they call Macbeth himself?
What would you say is the sexiest love scene in the plays?
What are some of the well-known brother-sister roles, besides Viola and Sebastian?
Lastly, can you think of anything that would make a Shakespearean actor groan? Something on the scale of Greedo firing first? The most obvious example is someone saying that Francis Bacon actually wrote the plays, but is there some other controversy (besides authorship) that would make actors get into a quarrel?
In Twelfth Night Viola draws a sword against Sir Andrew Aguecheek (in a sword fight that both parties are highly reluctant to take part in).
Which plays include sword fights? It might be easier to ask which don’t.
Are there ghosts in any plays besides Macbeth and Hamlet? There are lists here and here (s.v. “Ghost”)
What are some of the well-known brother-sister roles, besides Viola and Sebastian? Laertes and Ophelia is the only other significant pair, apart from historical siblings like Octavius and Octavia in Antony and Cleopatra
Especially since Princess Katharine and her servant Alice have got us in the mood by exchanging some dirty French words in the guise of a lesson in English.
Of of my best friends was living with me a couple years ago and was starring as Lady M. I drove her nuts walking around house muttering, “Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth,” over and over again.
There is a debate about the superstition you might find interesting. Some say saying Macbeth aloud is only bad luck if done in a theater. Some say it’s never to be uttered except on stage during rehearsals and performances. The cure in both cases is to turn 3 times, spit and swear. If you say it in the theater itself you may also be required to run around the building three times, depending on the whim of your director.
Viola almost gets forced into a duel with Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth night.
Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, and King Lear were the first ones that came to mind. There are a few stabbings in Othello. One guy gets stabbed a lot in Julius Caesar.
Caesar appears briefly as a ghost in Julius Caesar. He tells Brutus when he’s going to die.
[del]Groundskeeper Willie[/del] You know, I’m not sure. Mack, I think. They have plenty of nicknames for the show and more than a few for the characters but that’s all I can think of.
This is an interesting way to get people to reveal something about themselves. The first thing that came to mind was Romeo and Juliet in the bedroom scene.
I’m struggling to think of another.
Is Hamlet crazy or not? Is Macbeth bad or tempted - was he fated to commit murder and become king, or did he only do it because the witches told him he was going to be king? Is Othello black? Is Romeo and Juliet a love story or a story of immature people doing rash things? Is Shylock an evil guy and a stereotyped Jew, or does he just get pushed too far by the rampant antisemitism of the world he lives in?
Not really trivia, this one. And it’s going to depend, not just on the viewer, but on the performance. That said, though, I’ve seen some pretty steamy Titania/Bottom scenes.
I answered this one earlier but I did it from the standpoint of actors arguing with each other. If you’re talking about something that makes the actors groan and slap their foreheads, I’d say it’s having Juliet recite the line “Wherefore art thou Romeo?” while putting her hand to her brow and looking around for Romeo. Wherefore means why, not where, and when people get it wrong, actors and Shakespeare buffs go crazy. It’s like nails on the chalkboards of their souls.
Director or senior member of Alpha Psi Omega present, in a college production. I took great joy in catching our director and another faculty member in such a faux pas, and insisted that the rituals be performed, which they did in good grace. No running around the building, but our local variation required them to leave the green room, knock on the door to request re-entry, promise never to repeat the transgression, spin 3 times, spit, swear, and again request permission to enter.
And I would go with MacB for MacBeth’s nickname, though the way I heard it the curse is only on the name of the play itself, inside a theater, but you avoid saying it in any form at any time so you don’t accidentally slip up in a theater. Also in addition to what Fallen Angel already posted, I have always been told that you have to leave the theater immediately and knock to be let back in.
My choice for sexiest scene is going to be Richard III seduction of Lady Anne. It’s a non conventional choice, but I think that scene is really good. Maybe not traditionally sexy, but charged, and not one most people think of. But I tend to be partial to shows I have worked on, my second choice was going to be something form Lear. What can I say, I like it when villains get it on.
When it comes to sexy scenes, can anyone think of an example where the woman seduces the man? That’s really what I was looking for. My thoughts tend towards Beatrice and Benedick or Petruchio and Kate, but I’m not sure that’s sexy as much as just banter.
I think you could make the case that Regan and/or Goneril does the seducing of Edmund in Lear, but while those scenes can be made sexy a lot of what goes on between those characters really happens offstage. Frankly making Lear sexy at all requires a director who is willing to push things a bit.
I can recall seeing a production where the Regan and Edmund scene was piping hot.
Well, Titania is certainly seducing Bottom more than the other way around, but then, she’s only doing so because of the love spell, so one might argue that it’s (indirectly) Oberon doing the seducing.
I’ve heard Mack and Mackers used for both the play and for MacBeth himself. But to refer to just the character I’ve often heard ‘The Scottish Thane’, ‘The Scottish King’, or ‘The Scottish Lord’. I’m sure it varies from place to place.
In addition to those already mentioned, I know that there are sword fights in the following histories: Richard II, Both Henry IV’s, Henry 5, Richard III, and all three Henry VI’s. I would make a guess that it happens in all the other histories as well.
The champion ghost scene is in Richard III. It has nine ghosts on stage.
